Nonintercourse Act, 1809. States, II, 207-219. January, 1809, it was evident that to avoid civil strife the embargo policy must be abandoned. Madison had meantime been elected President (November, 1808), and to him Jefferson confided the initiation of a new policy. 237. The Non-intercourse Act, 1809. In February, 1809, it became known that Madison was in favor of a removal of the embargo in the following June; but no sooner was the subject of repeal brought forward in Congress, than it was decided to repeal the embargo law at once. In its place was substituted a non-intercourse law. This would still prohibit commerce with Great Britain and France, but would, on the other hand, permit it with the few countries not under the control of either of the belligerents. The new policy, which was a better method of carrying out Jefferson's commercial theories, went into operation on the day of Madison's inauguration, March 4, 1809. Instantly, there was a great revival in the carrying trade; for, although Russia had now joined France in the 1809] The Erskine Treaty 351 continental system, Spain and Portugal were no longer subservient to Napoleon. This period witnessed a complete breaking down of the ordinary rules of international and commercial honesty. Napoleon gave licenses without number to British vessels to bring goods sorely needed by his soldiers into continental ports, while American papers, forged for the purpose, and also British protections, were openly sold in London. A new conciliatory policy toward the United States. Treaty with Britain, 1809. II, 313. Macon's The President and Little Belt. United States as he journeyed homeward through New On May 1, 1810, Congress substituted for the Nonintercourse Act a modified commercial policy, which was embodied in a bill known as Macon's Bill, No. 2, from the name of the member who introduced it. This law provided for the immediate cessation of non-intercourse. It further provided, however, that in case one of the belligerents should revoke his decrees or orders, and the other should not, in such a case non-intercourse should be proclaimed by the President with the recalcitrant nation. Negotiations with Great Britain and France were at once begun on this basis. Napoleon promised to revoke his decrees as to American shipping on November 1, on condition that the British orders should be rescinded before that day. Great Britain offered to withdraw the Orders in Council after Napoleon had rescinded his decrees. As a matter of fact, neither government withdrew its orders; but Madison, understanding that the French decrees were really withdrawn, and assured that the British orders would follow, suspended non-intercourse with both nations, and was again obliged to reimpose it. 239. Declaration of War, 1812. In the gathering gloom of a May evening (1811), the American frigate President and the British sloop of war Little Belt found themselves near together. Owing to some mischance, not now clearly Navy, 1, 314 discernible, they fired on each other, and the Little Belt was badly crippled. This affair induced the American people to feel more kindly about the Chesapeake outrage, and reparation was accepted without a settlement of the whole question of impressment, which in this way remained. to keep alive a spirit of resentment toward the British nation. Another cause of ill feeling was the ever-recurring Indian troubles in the West, some of which were plainly traceable to British intrigues. The most formidable of these was a revolt set on foot by an energetic Indian chief named Tecumthe or Tecumseh, who had formed a strong 1812] Declaration of War 353 Indian federation. Gathering a small force of regulars and volunteers from among the settlers of the West, William Henry Harrison marched to the principal Indian town on Tippecanoe River and inflicted a crushing defeat on the Indians (1810). Tecumthe at once joined the British, and thus strengthened the suspicions of the Western settlers, who soon clamored for a war of conquest against Canada. Another cause of the approaching conflict was the tone of Cause of the undisguised superiority with which the British government War of 1812. Johnston's and people were accustomed not merely to look upon the Orations, American people, but to speak of them, and even to address I, 205–215. representatives of the United States government. For example, Lord Liverpool, at the moment Prime Minister, declared in 1813 from his place in Parliament that America "ought to have looked to this country as the guardian power to which she was indebted not only for her comforts, not only for her rank in the scale of civilization, but for her very existence." The impressment controversy was now at its height, and British hostility to American commerce was as keen as ever. Bearing all these things in mind, it is not to be wondered at that the United States declared war against Great Britain; it is indeed remarkable that the outbreak of hostilities was postponed until 1812. Declaration of war, 1812. Henry Clay. Schouler's United States, II, 372; Schurz's The declaration of war was the work of a new set of political leaders, whose influence for good or evil was to dominate American politics for the next forty years. Foremost among them was Henry Clay, born in Virginia, but now living in Kentucky; perhaps no American politician has ever had a more faithful band of followers or has ever shown worse judgment. He entered Congress for the first time in 1811, and was at once elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. Another of the newcomers was John C. Calhoun of South Carolina; at this period he was John C. an ardent advocate of nationalization and of devoting the federal resources to the promotion of the general welfare of the people, especially, he advocated a policy of protection (S. S.). Clay (S. S.). Calhoun. Daniel (S. S.) ; States, III, 298. to "young industries." Subsequently, he became the champion of the other side, and by his fearlessness and powerfully logical faculties set forth the cause of state's rights in the clearest and most forcible manner. Two years later, Daniel Webster of Massachusetts, the third of this group, entered Congress. With their coming, the statesmen of the Revolutionary epoch visibly lost control of affairs, and the politicians of the period extending from 1810 to 1850 began to assert their power. Clay represented the unrest of the Western people and their desire for the conquest of Canada. With the aid of other new men, he forced from the reluctant President his consent to a declaration of war against Great Britain. It is said that Madison was given to understand that his renomination for the presidency depended on his acquiescence in this policy; it is certain that he was drawn into the conflict against his wishes; nevertheless, the New England Federalists always referred to it as "Mr. Madison's War." SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS AND TOPICS S$ 213-222. THE UNITED STATES IN 1800 a. What historic proofs can you give that the American mind "seemed dormant" before 1800? b. What relations can you trace between the American Revolution, the French Revolution, and the "Revolution of 1800"? c. What means did the American people take "to elevate the intellectual and material position of the average citizen "? d. What is meant by saying that "the American people came into existence" in the period extending from 1800 to 1829? e. What are the two most important stocks of the human race? Name the chief branches of the Aryan stock, and the principal contributions to civilization made by each. f. Where besides in America have important amalgamations of Germanic and Keltic races taken place? What complementary qualities do these two races possess? g. How do you account for the fact that the white population increased much more rapidly in the free states than in the slave states? |