Mr. Adams now appointed Messrs. Pinckney, Gerry, and Marshall, envoys to the French republic, with instructions to pursue peace and reconciliation by all means compatible with national honour. While the result of this mission was anxiously awaited by the American people, the French aggressions on our commerce being still continued, an act of Congress was passed, [July 7, 1797,] de claring the existing treaties with France no longer obligatory on the United States, because openly and repeatedly violated by the acts of the French government.

L

ESPATCHES received from the American envoys in France, in the spring of 1798, announced that while the Directory had delayed to accredit the commissioners, they had approached them informally with propositions demanding money as a condition of their recognition. The Directory and the ministers. were willing, besides, to receive a private bribe through M. Talleyrand. These attempts to tamper with the envoys

being treated with merited contempt, they had been ordered to quit the territories of the republic. Intelligence of these proceedings, characterized as they were by a mixture of meanness and insolence, excited indignation throughout the country, and the rallying cry of the nation was, Millions for defence, not one cent for tribute.

Congress immediately proceeded to raise an army, with Washington for lieutenant-general and commander-in-chief; to pass alien and sedition laws as a defence against French influence at home; and to issue letters of marque and reprisal for the defence of American commerce. The alien and sedition law was powerfully opposed; but the war, like most wars, was popular. Its feats, however were destined to be confined to the ocean.

In September, 1798, Commodore Murray sailed for the West Indies, the principal theatre of the French depredations, with a squadron composed of the Norfolk, Montezuma, and Retaliation. In November this squadron encountered the French frigates Volontaire and L'Insurgente; and three other ships appearing in an opposite direction at the same time, Captain Bainbridge, in the Retaliation, was detached to examine the French frigates, who were supposed to be British. He was captured; but, by misrepresenting the force of the other two small vessels of the squadron, he prevented the French from pursuing them, and thus enabled Murray to escape.

COMMODORE TRUXTUN.

1

457

Commodore Truxtun was more fortunate than Commodore Murray. In the frigate Constellation [February 9, 1799] he encountered the French frigate L'Insurgente; and, after a spirited action, captured her. Her force was forty guns, and four hundred and nine men, of whom seventy were killed. The Constellation carried thirty-eight guns, and three hundred and nine men, of whom three were wounded, and none killed.

Several other captures of French cruisers were made by Truxtun, Barry, Tingey, and Decatur; but the most remarkable action of

the war was that between the Constellation, still under Truxtun's command, and the French ship Vengeance, carrying no less than fifty-two guns. This celebrated engagement took place on the 2d of February, 1800, and lasted from eight o'clock, P. M., till half-past one. The French ship was reduced to a sinking condition, and struck her colours; but the mainmast of the Constellation being nearly cut off, Truxtun was unable to secure his prize. He lost fourteen killed, and twenty-five wounded. The Vengeance had fifty killed, and one hundred and ten wounded. This is the victory for which Commodore Truxtun received the gold medal from Congress.

TRUXTUN.

The other naval actions of this war were quite numerous, but comparatively unimportant, although they afforded Hull, Porter, and others, opportunities for giving promise of their future distinction in the annals of the navy.

These active measures soon brought the insolent French Directory to their senses. They made overtures for negotiating a peace, and Messrs. Ellsworth, Henry, and Van Murray, were sent to France as envoys. When they arrived at Paris, the Directory had been deposed, and Napoleon soon concluded an adjustment of all disputes.

Ere the war terminated, Washington was removed from the scene of his earthly glories. He died, after a very short illness, occasioned by cold, and a consequent inflammation of the throat, at Mount Vernon, on the 14th of December, 1799. Neither Congress nor the nation were wanting in that universal tribute of mourning and vene

ration due to the illustrious founder of their common freedom. Perhaps the most sensible mark of this veneration was their giving his name to the federal city, the site of which he had himself selected. In November, 1800, Congress opened its sittings at Washington for the first time. Their sessions had been held first at New York, and afterwards at Philadelphia.

Mr. Adams was not elected to office a second time. When the electoral votes were counted, he was in the minority, and Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, who had been proposed by the opposition as candidates for President and Vice-president, were found to have an equal number of votes. As the Constitution then stood, this state of things referred the election to the House of Representatives, and Burr was enabled, with some prospect of success, to intrigue for defeating the popular will. But the election was finally decided in favour of Jefferson, and on the 4th of March, 1801, he was inaugurated.

THOMAS JEFFERSON.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

ADMINISTRATION OF THOMAS JEFFERSON.

S the political tenets of Mr. Jefferson were directly opposite to those of his predecessor, a change was made among the cabinet officers. Mr. Madison was appointed Secretary of State; immediately before his retirement, Adams had appointed twelve new judges, in pursuance of a recent act of Congress. By the recommendation of Mr. Jefferson, that body now passed an act abolishing this judiciary, and re-organizing the whole judiciary department. Another act placed the laws of its organization on an enlarged basis.

In 1801, the second census of the United States showed a population of more than five million three hundred thousand souls, an augmentation of exports from nineteen to ninety-four millions of dollars, and an increase of the revenue from five to thirteen millions, in ten years. These gave to the people the most satisfactory proof of the resources of the country as developed under the new constitution.

In the same year, Spain ceded Louisiana to France, a measure which soon began to produce uneasiness to the American government. Owing to the hostile disposition of the Directory, it was