tained a majority of the votes, but the canvassers burnt the votes of the counties of Otsego, Tioga, and Clinton, in which Mr. Jay had a majority, on account of some al. ledged informality in the returns, and Mr. Clinton was declared to be elected. The vores of Otsego indicated a large majority in favour of Mr. Jay, and under the law as it then stood, the ballot boxes themselves, were returned to the secretary of state. The sheriff of Otse. go had held over, having been originally appointed for four years, and no successor had been chosen. The canvassers held, that he was not legally a sheriff, and on that ground ordered, by a party vote, the ballots of that, together with two other counties, where the returns were somewhat informal, to be burnt. The official returns, as declared by the commissioners, were for George Clinton, 8440 This high-handed measure justJy excited the indignation of all who were not governed by party feel. ing; and at the next election, Mr. Clinton, who was in fault chiefly by accepting the office under such circumstances, was compelled to withdraw from the canvass, and Mr. Jay was elected in 1795 over chief justice Robert Yates, by a majority of 1589, receiving 13,481 freehold votes. At the time of his election he was abroad, having been appointed by Gen. Washington, April 19th, 1794, minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain. Mr. Jay accepted this appointment with great reluctance. It was very improbable that a treaty could be formed upon fair terms, and a failure to adjust the difficulties, which had then so increased as to highly excite the popular feeling, would necessarily be followed by a war. In either alternative, the of fice was undesirable, but, yielding to the emergency of the times, he departed on his mission. On his arrival in England, he found the British cabinet inflated with the uninterrupted but deceitful success, which attended her first movements against the revolution. ary government of France. Lord Howe had just achieved a signal victory over her enemy. Landreci had fallen, and the British army in the Netherlands had not yet met with those reverses which finally compelled it to eva. cuate the Low Countries. Nothing, therefore, was to be expected through the collateral influence of the European relations of England. The negotiation was to be conducted simply upon American grounds. Mr. Jay, however, did not despair, but earnestly devoted himself to the business of his mission. Such was the effect of his sincerity, joined with a mild but firm temper, and a thorough knowledge of the true interests of both powers, that by the 19th of November of that year, all the subjects of controversy were adjusted, and the dif ficulties between the two countries settled by the treaty of 1794. The negotiation of this celebrated treaty forms too large a portion of the political history of that period, to be fully stated in this me. moir. Some idea may be formed of its importance, from the fact, that it stipulated for the surrender of the North-western posts, procured our vessels admission into the India possessions of Great Britain, placed the commerce between the two countries on the footing of reciprocity, agreed upon a mode for the amicable settlement of the nor thern and eastern boundaries, provided security against the abuses of British privateers, and of the petty admiralty courts, and obtain. ed compensation for spoliations upon American commerce amounting nearly to $10,000,000. A violent clamour was excited against it at home, by those who wished to enlist the United States on the side of the French republic; but Washington, with his usual sa. gacity, properly appreciated its ad. vantage, and determined to sanc. tion the treaty, which was ratified by the senate, with the exception of the 12th article, relative to the West India trade. The influence of the president carried the treaty through against a violent opposition; and it is now generally conceded, that its provisions are more advantageous to the United States, than any which have since been in serted in any treaty between the two countries. After concluding the treaty, Mr. Jay returned home, but did not again take his seat on the bench of the supreme court, having been chosen, during his absence, governor of the state of New York. During his administration of the state government, his course was distinguished by the same unbending rectitude, which had characterized him throughout his public career, and in this station he co-operated with the federal government in maintaining the dignity and character of the country. In 1798 he was re-elected go. vernor, Robert R. Livingston being his opponent. The vote stood, John Jay, 16,012 R. R. Livingston, 13,632 The country appeared now to be on the eve of a war with France, and Governor Jay adopted, in conjunction with the federal authorities and the state legislature, mea. sures to fortify the city of NewYork, and to arm and discipline the militia. The great interests of literature and agriculture were earnestly recommended to the legislature, and a revision was made of the statute code, during his administration, Chief Justice Kent, and Justice Radcliff, being the revisors. The intense political excitement which now prevailed, rendered his situation far from agreeable. While he was vehemently assailed by his democratic opponents, his innate sense of right prevented him from entering upon a course of proscription of them, and he began to long for that retirement from which he had been drawn only by the exigency of the times. This wish he carried into effect in the summer of 1801, when he retired to Bedford, in Westchester county, never again to participate in the honours or cares of public station. His character and conduct in retirement, are so beautifully drawn in an address to the Alumni of Columbia College, delivered shortly after his death, that we cannot close this memoir more appropriately, than in the words of that classical writer. As the character of Hamilton presents, in its soldier-like frankness and daring, a beautiful example of the spirit of chivalry, applied to the pursuits of the statesman, so in that of Jay, pure and holy justice seemed to be embodied. lived as one Sent forth of the Omnipotent, to run He He was endowed above most men, with steadiness of and purpose Ff self.command. He had early sought out for himself, and firmly established in his mind, the grand truths, religious, moral, or political, which were to regulate his conduct; and they were all embodied in his daily life. Hence the admirable consistency of his character, which was the more striking, as it seemed to reconcile and unite ap. parently opposite qualities. That grave prudence, which, in common men, would have swayed every action to the side of timid caution, was in him combined with invincible energy. So too in his opinions. No man was more deeply pene. trated with the doctrines, or the sentiment of religion; no man more conscientiously exact in its observances; whilst no man could look with more jealousy on any intermixture of the religious with the temporal authority; no man more dreaded, or watched with more vigilant caution, every invasion, however slight, upon the rights of pri vate conscience. After a long and uninterrupted series of the highest civil employ. ments, in the most difficult times, he suddenly retired from their toils and dignities, in the full vigour of mind and body, and at an age when, in most statesmen, the objects of ambition show as gorgeously, and its aspirations are as stirring as ever. He looked upon himself, as having fully discharged his debt of service to his country; and, satisfied with the ample share of gratitude which he had received, he retired with cheerful content, without ever once casting a reluctant eye towards the power or dig. nities he had left. For the last thirty years of his remaining life, he was known to us only by the occasional appearance of his name, or the employment of his pen, in the service of piety or philanthropy. A halo of veneration seemed to encircle him, as one belong. ing to another world, though yet lingering amongst us. When, during the last year, the tidings of his death came to us, they were received through the nation, not with sorrow or mourning, but with solemn awe; like that with which we read the mysterious passage of ancient scripture-"And Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him." FOR THE FIRST FOUR VOLUMES OF THE AMERICAN ANNUAL REGISTER: Comprehending from 4th March, 1825, to 4th March, 1829. A. Abolition of Colonial System, vol. i. page 1. Relating to pensions and pensioners, iv. Relating to the army and navy, iv. 325. Relating to public lands, &c. iv. 324. 326. Relating to the public debt, iv. 324. Relating to public buildings, iv. 327. 359. Relating to Indians and the Indian de- Relating to the District of Columbia, iv. 340. 347. 356. 357. 359. Relating to regulating intercourse 328. Relating to claims under treaty of Ghent, Relating to duties on imports, iv. 329. Relating to continuance of mint at Phi- Relating to suppression of the slave Relating to the post office, iv. 346. Relating to Arkansas Territory, iv. 346. Relating to Florida Territory, iv. 354. Relating to the mackerel fishery, iv. 351. Relating to appointment of surveyor, iv. Relating to deserters from foreign ves- Relating to Valley Creek academy iv. 358. Private acts, iv. 323 to 359. dent, i. 29 Inaugural address, 1. 29. Slave trade i. Army advance, &c. i. 138. Surveys, war with Great Britain, i. 282. Sha- Austria. Political condition of, i, 250. B. General state- Bank of United States. Bavaria. King of, dies, i. 252. Brazil. Independence of, acknowledged, ii. 199. Character of Don Pedro, ii. 200. Brazil, disputes with, ii. 12. Buenos Ayres. See United Provinces of C. Canning Mr., his situation, i. 326. His Calhoun, vice president, his decision on Clay, Henry, his meeting with Mr. Ran- Jackson's letter, ii. 30. Cochrane, Lord, admiral of Greece, ii. 408. Colonial bill lost, i. 23. Colonial trade, Congress, 19th, i. 368. 20th, iii. 565. iii. 21. Election, ii. 452. School fund, Constantinople, great fire at, ii. 398. De- |