CHAPTER LXVII. Commencement of the French Revolution. –War between France and England.— Genet's mission to the United States.-Unwarrantable conduct of that minister and his successor, Adet.-John Adams elected president.—Intrigues of the French Directory.-Hostilities with France.-Exploits of the frigate Constellation.— Treaty with Bonaparte.-Death of Washington.—Purchase of Louisiana.— Prosperity of the United States.-Naval war with Tripoli.-Loss of the frigate Philadelphia.-Bombardment of Tripoli.-General Eaton's expedition from Egypt.-Capture of Derne.-Peace with Tripoli.—Mr. Jefferson chosen President.-Death of Hamilton.-Burr's conspiracy.-Progress of party.—Impressment of American sailors by the British.-Attack on the Chesapeake.-Paper blockades.-Napoleon's Berlin and Milan decrees.-The British orders in council. -Depredations on American commerce.—Embargo.—Mr. Madison elected president.-Erskine's treaty.-Affair of the President and Little Belt.-Reparation for the attack on the Chesapeake.-Revocation of the Berlin and Milan decrees. -War declared against Great Britain.-Desperate nature of the contest.— Opposition of parties.-Repeal of the orders in council.—Overwhelming power of the British navy.—Baltimore mob.-Affair of John Henry. THE year in which the federal constitution went into effect, was marked by the birth of an event in Europe, which exercised the most momentous influence, not only in that country, but upon the whole of the civilized world. The French revolution began in 1789, and its effects were so rapid and important that Europe and America were speedily involved in war. Although the origin and progress of this great political convulsion possess the deepest interest to the general reader, and a knowledge of them is in some degree necessary in order to understand the full import of the transactions recorded in the remaining portion of this history, yet the subject is too copious to be introduced here. We can only touch lightly upon the main facts. The French nation had imbibed republican notions by their alliance with America. The brilliant success of a nation which had fought for liberty and established a free government, dazzled a lively people, ever susceptible of enthusiastic and quick impressions. The government of France was arbitrary; the titled orders were insolent and oppressive; the court was profligate, and the whole nation was sinking under an intolerable load of debt. The sudden rise of the American republic was the only stimulant wanting to arouse them. A new order of things was called for. The States General, or popular THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. 675 assembly of the nation, met at Versailles, in 1789, to consult upon measures adapted to the exigencies of the times. From moderate beginnings they proceeded to radical changes in the government. A written constitution was formed; restrictions were placed on royal authority, and the political rights of all citizens secured. But, unfortunately, the French people had neither the wisdom, the intelligence, the moderation, nor the virtue of the Americans of 1776. The work, begun judiciously, soon ran into precipitate extravagance, criminal excesses, and at length into the most furious and reckless political fanaticism. The throne was overturned, the king beheaded, one form of government succeeded another, and one party triumphed over another, while no real government or authority prevailed, except that of epidemic terror or the momentary sway of a faction or a demagogue. War broke out between France and England in 1793. The French were at this time so infatuated with their new politics, that they imagined themselves destined to revolutionize the whole world. It was their wish to draw the United States into their quarrel with England. The American people wished success to the French in their struggle for liberty; and the first appearance of the French revolution was hailed by the republicans of the west as the dawning of European freedom. The bloody excesses of the French revolutionists soon damped these reasonable hopes, and at length utterly disgusted all sober and reflecting people. Soon after the execution of Louis XVI., Mr. Genet was sent as minister to the United States. This man was of an ardent temper and fired by the common enthusiasm of the revolutionary French. He seems to have regarded his office as a mission to stir up the people of the United States to a war with the enemies of France. Genet landed at Charleston, eight hundred miles from the seat of government. This was done for the purpose of sounding the disposition of the people, and concerting his plans before his interview with Washington, whose prudence and firmness were likely to be obstacles in the way of the hair-brained Frenchman. At his first landing, he proceeded to acts violating the rules of international law, by commissioning armed vessels from Charleston to cruise against the British. Before his arrival was known hy the government, a resolution had been taken to adopt a strictly neutral position in the contest. The British minister at Philadelphia complained of Genet's proceedings, and Washington sent instructions, accompanied with rules for the observation of neutrality, to the governors of all the states. Genet resented this, and attempted to excite a popular clamor against it. He issued publications designed to excite opposition to the laws, by appeals to the passions and caprices of the multitude. He affirmed, like other disturbers of the public tranquillity in more recent times, that authority did not reside in the government, but in the people separate from the government. These wild and mischievous notions were caught up by many unthinking people, and Genet soon had a party of adherents, who encouraged him to such insolent behavior, that Washington refused to hold any dealings with him, and obliged his government to order him home. Genet's successors, Fauchet and Adet, were more moderate in their conduct, but their designs were the same, and troubles soon followed, though in a different quarter. The French Directory, finding they could not stimulate the Americans to a war with England, began to view them with a hostile eye. Complaining that the Americans allowed their ships to be searched by British cruisers in pursuit of French property, they issued orders for the capture of all American vessels. This was tantamount to a declaration of hostilities; yet, as the United States at this period had no navy, the insult could not be promptly resented. Mr. Charles C. Pinckney was sent minister to France, to accommodate matters by negotiation. The Directory refused to receive him; he was ordered to quit the French territory, and informed that the French would not receive another American minister until after a "redress of grievances." In the meantime, the election of president approached in the autumn of 1796. Adet, the French minister, addressed a note to the secretary of state, couched in the most extraordinary language, utterly inconsistent with the rules and courtesy of diplomacy, and intended solely to inflame the popular passions. This strange document, insolent to the government, and palpably designed to influence the pending election, was sent by the writer to a printer on the day it was penned, November 15th, and circulated widely throughout the country. Like an over-charged gun, however, it recoiled upon its manager. So impertinent an interference in the domestic politics of the country disgusted all judicious people, and Adet's intrigues had no small influence in causing the election of John Adams, the one among all the candidates whom he had the strongest reason to dislike. Under the administration of President Adams, three envoys extraordinary, Pinckney, Marshall and Gerry, were sent to Paris. to attempt a second negotiation, in 1797. The Directory, under frivolous pretexts, delayed to accredit them publicly, but in an indirect manner demanded a large sum of money as a requisite to begin the negotiation. This being promptly refused, Pinckney DEATH OF WASHINGTON. 677 and Marshall were ordered to quit the country, but Gerry was allowed to remain. The intelligence of these proceedings excited the highest indignation in the United States, and the government ordered the capturing of all armed French vessels. On the 9th of February, 1799, the American frigate Constellation, of thirtysix guns, commanded by Captain Truxton, being on a cruise among the West India Islands, fell in with the French frigate l'Insurgente, of forty guns, and captured her after an engagement of an hour and a quarter. This was the first time an American frigate had taken a ship of superior force. On the 1st day of February, 1800, the Constellation fought another battle with the French frigate La Vengeance, of fifty-four guns. After four hours' fighting, the French ship was silenced, but a squall suddenly springing up, enabled her to escape, and she arrived at Curaçao in a shattered condition, with one hundred and sixty men killed and wounded. The insults of the French government nearly united all parties in defence of the national honor. Popular addresses poured in upon the president from every quarter of the union, assuring him of every necessary support in the stand he had taken. Congress voted to raise an army. Washington was appointed to the command, and the United States assumed a dignified attitude. This firmness had its effect across the Atlantic. Three other envoys, Messrs. Ellsworth, Davie, and Murray were sent to Paris in 1800. The government of France was now in the hands of the First Consul, Bonaparte, who received the envoys with respect, and entered upon this business with the promptness and despatch which always characterized that extraordinary man. On the 30th of September, 1800, a treaty was concluded, which settled all differences between France and America. On the 14th of December, 1799, Washington died, after an illness of a single day. This event caused a general mourning throughout the United States. The new seat of government on the banks of the Potomac was called by his name, and the city of Washington became the capital of the United States in 1800. In 1803, the United States received a large acquisition of territory, by purchasing from France the whole of the region west of the Mississippi, then called Louisiana, which included not only the present state of that name, but Arkansas, Missouri, Wisconsin, Iowa, and the vast wild region of the west. This country had been recently ceded to the French by the Spaniards; and Bonaparte, who wanted money more than colonies, transferred it to the United States for the sum of fifteen millions of dollars. The people of the United States now promised themselves a period of lasting tranquillity. The government had been settled upon a secure basis, the Indians quieted, the friendship of England, France and the other great European powers secured by amicable treaties commerce and industry began to thrive with wonderful rapidity, the national revenue increased, and every external appearance denoted an increasing and permanent pros perity. But events were already in progress which soon disturbed the tranquillity of the nation, and before long involved the United States in foreign war. The treaties with France and England opened a wide field of commerce to the American merchants, into which they immediately entered with that enterprise and activity which have now become their strong characteristics. The sea was soon covered by their ships, and American commerce was ere long exposed to the depredation of the belligerent European powers; it had no protection abroad, as the United States could hardly boast of possessing a ship of war. The American navy during the war of the revolution consisted of a few small frigates and minor craft. Most of these were lost; and after the capture of Charleston, the navy came entirely to an end, by the sale of the remainder as worthless. For many years the government did not possess a single ship; but in 1794 an act of congress authorized the building of six frigates. These were the Constitution, the President, the United States, the Constellation, the Congress, and the Chesapeake. Some smaller vessels were soon |