The "Monroe doctrine."

Monroe's administration had expressed great sympathy for the new republics formed in South America, and had announced the opinion that the United States should thenceforward never allow any European government to plant a colony on the soil of North or South America, or to interfere in American affairs, but that the people of the different parts of the continent should govern themselves. This has always been called "the Monroe doctrine," and is considered one of the most important results of this president's administration.

President

OHN QUINCY ADAMS of Massachusetts was the The sixth next president, serving one term, - from 1825 to 1829. All the previous presidents had taken part in the Revolutionary War, or in founding the government; but John Quincy Adams belonged to

a younger generation, and had been but nine years old when his father had signed the Declaration of Independence, and when he himself had heard it read from the State House in Boston. Since then, the young nation had freed and established itself, had

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

widened its bounds, and was now at peace. During the administration of Mr. Adams, much was done to open

Opening of the interior of the country for settlement. Almost all the Indian tribes had been removed west of the Mis

the interior

of the

settlement.

country for sissippi; and their lands had been bought by the government. A great system of canals had been begun, affording better means of communication than any that had before existed. Chief among these was the Erie Canal, which connected Lake Erie with the harbor of New York. It was completed in 1825; and Gov. De Witt Clinton of New York, who had planned it, and had himself dug the first spadeful of earth, was conveyed the whole distance in a barge, amid the ringing of bells and the discharge of cannon. After this, population poured rapidly into the interior of New York State; and, wherever canals were built, towns and villages grew up.

The first railroad in America.

It was during Mr. Adams's presidency, moreover, that the first railroad in America was built, in 1827,

1

a road of three miles only, leading from the granite quarries to the wharves at Quincy, Mass. The cars were drawn by horses; and the first locomotive engine was not used until two years later, when it was imported from England, where such engines had only just been introduced. This first engine only averaged about fourteen miles an hour, and was regarded as a great curiosity. Many people predicted in America, as they had in

England, that it would never be able to move its own weight, but that the wheels would spin round and round. upon the rail. Others thought, that, if it succeeded, it would destroy the value of farming-lands by frightening all the animals, and would stop the raising of sheep, because their wool would be so blackened by the smoke. They were very much surprised when they saw locomotives running peaceably, and without causing any of these disasters.

Adams

Jefferson.

During John Quincy Adams's administration, his Death of father, Ex-President John Adams, died; and Ex-Presi- and of dent Jefferson died on the same day. As they had grown older, these two eminent statesmen had become friends, and had outlived all the disputes between Federalist and Democrat. They used constantly to write friendly letters to each other; and, by a singular coincidence, the day on which they died was July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, which they both had signed. The last words said by Jefferson were, "Is this the Fourth?" and the last words of Adams were thought to be, "Thomas Jefferson still lives." A patriotic celebration. was being held in the village where Mr. Adams lived; and he had sent to it a toast: "Independence forever." As he lay dying, at sunset time, those who watched by his bed could hear the distant shouting at the village, when the people had heard the old man's last message. One public question, about which there was great Protective difference of opinion at that time, was in regard to the amount of duty to be placed on goods imported from foreign countries. Such a system of duties is called a "tariff;" and there is a difference of opinion in

tariff.

The

seventh

America to this day about it. There are those who think that a high tariff, or duty, should be put on certain manufactured goods, in order to keep out foreign goods, and protect American manufactures. There are others who think that trade should be entirely free, and that there should be no duties or custom-houses at all. Between these, there are people of all shades of opinion, even now, as there were in Mr. Adams's time. But he favored a higher tariff than his opponent; and this was one chief reason why he failed of re-election after his first term of office.

Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, was the next presi- from 1829 to 1837. He had

President. dent, serving two terms,

Nullification.

ANDREW JACKSON.

been well known as an army officer, from the time when he built up the cotton breastworks at New Orleans, and repulsed the British army by firing from behind them. He was a man of great courage, honesty, and energy, though somewhat narrow and violent. While he was president, there grew up much discontent in the

Southern States with regard to the tariff. In South Carolina especially, it was thought that the duties imposed