not included within the state of Missouri. Mr. Monroe, was this year, reëlected president; so satisfactory had his administration been to the people, that he received all the electoral votes except one.

Arrangements were made, in 1821, for occupying and governing Florida. The president appointed General Jackson governor, with a liberal discretionary authority. Much difficulty attended the occupation of the country, in consequence of the Spanish officer refusing to give up the archives and documents relating to the country. This caused great confusion and embarrassment respecting the titles of lands, and the usages and customs of the inhabitants, which the treaty of cession obliged the United States to maintain. Jackson having arrested a Spanish officer, one of the judges appointed by the American government, granted him a writ of habeas corpus, which drew on an acrimonious controversy between the governor and the judge. Jackson soon after resigned his office as governor of Florida.

The census of 1820, showed the population of the United States to amount to 9,638,166, being an increase of 2,398,263 in ten years. The representation in congress was fixed at one member for 40,000 inhabitants. In conformity to a recommendation of the president, the independence of the Spanish American republics was acknowledged by congress in January, 1822, and envoys to most of these were shortly after appointed. In his message to congress, in December, the president alluded to the struggle for independence which had lately commenced in Greece; a hope was expressed that the Greeks would succeed in their endeavors, but no interference on the part of the United States was recommended. During this year the commerce of the country suffered much from the depredations of pirates in the West India seas, who committed their outrages in so systematic and audacious a manner, that a squadron of twelve vessels was despatched by the United States government against them. By their exertions the pirates were soon all captured or dispersed. A convention of navigation and commerce with France was concluded in 1822, placing the system of trade and duties on a basis of reciprocity. In 1824, the tariff was remodified, and the duties on several articles raised, to encourage domestic manufactures. Commercial treaties were concluded this year with Russia, Prussia, Sweden, the Netherlands and the Hanse Towns. A separate treaty with Russia also settled the boundaries of the Russian and American territory in the north-west. The boundary line was fixed at fifty-four degrees forty minutes north latitude; all unoccupied places to be free for ten years to the subjects of either power, for the purpose of fishing, or trading with the natives.

At the election for president, in the autumn of 1824, General

Jackson, Mr. Adams, Mr. Clay, and Mr. Crawford were candidates; neither of whom received a majority of the electoral votes. John Quincy Adams was chosen president by the house of representatives. At the conclusion of Mr. Monroe's administration, the quiet of the country began again to be disturbed by the dissensions of party. The United States were now in an unexampled state of prosperity, which bid fair to be permanent. The rival interests, which had infused such bitterness into the quarrels of preceding factions, had subsided, and the old animosities were entirely healed. The country was well governed, the public officers were honest, able and patriotic. The Americans universally believed their form of government the wisest, and their population the freest and happiest in the world. Materials for faction or discontent appeared nowhere to exist; yet it is precisely at this moment that we are called upon to record the revival of those unhappy party dissensions and rivalries which have continued with unabated rancor to the present day.

Troubles soon arose with the state of Georgia, respecting the Indian lands in that quarter. A treaty had been made with the Creeks, at Indian Springs, in February, 1825, which was immediately ratified by the federal government, in the belief that it had been negotiated in good faith; but it subsequently appeared that a portion of the tribe had not been consulted, and that a majority of the Indians did not consent to the treaty. A delegation of the tribe proceeded to Washington, requesting that the treaty might be annulled, and complaining of the fraud and oppression practiced toward them by the

:

Georgians. By a contract with the federal government in 1802, Georgia ceded a portion of the Indian land to the United States; the government, on the other hand, guaranteeing the remainder to Georgia, and stipulating to extinguish the claim of the natives, and remove them from the state, "as soon as it could be done peaceably, and on reasonable terms." Georgia was now impatient for the fulfillment of this part of the contract; and the federal government, wishing to observe good faith toward that state, and at the same time to behave with lenity and kindness toward the Indians, found itself beset with embarrassments. The governor of Georgia insisted on the

immediate removal of the Indians, and even threatened to take possession of their lands by force. Some apprehensions were felt that this would lead to a collision between the federal and state governments. A new treaty, however, was concluded, at Washington, with the Creeks, in March, 1826, by which the United States granted them an indemnity of a large sum of money, and guaranteed them the possession of the lands not expressly ceded by them. This adjusted the difficulties for some time, but they were renewed the following year.

The Spanish American republics had proposed a general congress of the American powers, to be held this year at Panama, to consult on some combined measures for the general welfare. They had requested that the United States might be represented at this congress. President Adams announced that he contemplated sending ministers

to Panama, agreeably to this request. Much debate arose in the congress of the United States upon this declaration. The power of the president to make such appointments, on his own responsibility, was called in question, and the proceeding, in any shape, was thought by some, to hazard the peace of the country. A committee of thể senate reported against the measure, yet it was finally approved in congress, and two envoys were appointed. But the whole design miscarried.

Landing of General La Fayette in New York.

The year 1824 was distinguished by the visit of La Fayette to the United States. He had spent the brightest days of his youth in combating, by the side of Washington, for American independence, devoting his military talent and his fortune to the cause of liberty. After the establishment of independence, he returned to his native. country, where he bore a leading part in the transactions of the French revolution while the acts of the liberal party were guided by moderation and justice. Their excesses soon drove him from the stage, and he had been many years withdrawn from public notice. In his declining age he was inspired with a wish to re-visit the scenes of his youthful exploits, and contemplate the progress of a nation. whom he had assisted to make free, prosperous and powerful. He crossed the Atlantic, and arrived at New York in August, 1824. He made the tour of the United States, and was everywhere received as the "guest of the nation," with expressions of gratitude, respect and honor, that made his progress a triumphal march. On the 17th

He

of June, 1825, he laid the foundation of the monument on Bunker Hill, in the presence of two hundred thousand spectators. returned to France in September of the same year.

The state of Georgia, in 1827, again threatened a collision with the federal government on the subject of the Creek Indians, who had not yet removed from their lands. The government of that state ordered the lands to be surveyed, and committed acts of encroachment against the Indians, who, unable to defend themselves, applied to the United States government for protection. The president despatched troops for this purpose. The governor of Georgia called out the militia to oppose them, and wrote an insolent letter to the cabinet of Washington, threatening them with a war. President Adams replied with great firmness to the governor, that he should protect the Indians, in conformity to the laws of the country and the treaty last concluded with them, and that he should employ force, if necessary, to put down any attempt made by the government of Georgia in obstruction of this design. This subject was laid before congress in a message, and caused much alarm. But a large majority of that body approved the proceedings of the executive; and the firmness and prudence of the president again succeeded in quieting the troubles without military interference.

The commercial convention with Great Britain was this year prolonged by an agreement between the two governments. But in July the British government excluded American vessels from their colonies. The subject of the northern boundary of the United States