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Gc 977.701 C55b 1613392
M. L.
REYNOLDS HISTORICAL GENEALOGY COLLECTION
E
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01077 3452
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center
http://www.archive.org/details/biographicalhist00inlewi
+1
BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL
RECORD
OF
Clarke County, lowa.
CONTAINING PORTRAITS OF ALL THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM WASHINGTON TO CLEVELAND, WITH ACCOMPANYING BIOGRAPHIES OF EACH; A CONDENSED HISTORY OF THE STATE OF IOWA ; PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS OF THE TERRI- TORY AND STATE; ENGRAVINGS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN CLARKE COUNTY, WITH PERSONAL HISTORIES OF MANY OF THE LEADING FAMILIES, AND A CONCISE HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY AND ITS CITIES AND VILLAGES.
LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY, 113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO. ISS6.
,
49122 . 09
1613392
1
GAYET
PREFATORY. - >>>PRERATORY ;<
N placing this volume before their patrons, the publishers feel that their work will stand the test of can- did criticism, and that the BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL RECORD OF CLARKE COUNTY will be re- ceived and perused with pleas- ure by all. This is not merely a local work, but one which in some measure is interesting to every true citizen of the United States. The nation justly is proud of its rulers, and their portraits and biographies will prove of interest in every American home. A State looks with pride over its develop- ment and growth from a barren tract to its present position among its sisters, and is interested in knowing something of the men who have stood at the head of its affairs ; and in like manner the citizens of a county are interested in hearing and reading of those who have labored to make their county and its cities what they are to-day. Thus we have endeavored to meet all these desires and have prepared this volume. It may contain some errors, as perfection is not attainable in this world, but we trust they are so trivial that they will be over- shadowed by the many entertaining and in-
structive points that are free from error. In some instances we have noticed that members of the same family differ in the spelling of the name, and also in the dates of certain events. In these cases we have tried to " follow copy," not knowing which was correct. Thus it will be seen that if members of the same family differ, mem- bers of a community also will not agree in relating the same circumstance, and the historian is often at a loss to know which statement 'to record. We have tried to prove all things and to give to our readers those items which are of interest in as re- liable a form as is possible.
We are glad to be able to give to the citi- zens of Clarke County this RECORD, and feel sure that as the years go by it will grow in interest and value, giving the ris- ing generation an account of the lives and adventures of their forefathers -- the pio- neers, who labored to make the homes they now enjoy. Many of these, were it not for works of this kind, would soon be forgotten, and the part they took in the early days would in many cases be ascribed to others ; but in after years, when the his- torian is gathering data he will examine and cull from this RECORD the items with which to prepare a memorial of the early settlers of Clarke County.
THE PUBLISHERS.
CHICAGO, July, 1886.
CONTENTS.
PRESIDENTS * OF + THE UNITEDSTATES.
George Washington .. 9
John Adams 14
Thomas Jefferson 20
James Madison. 26
James Monroe.
32
John Quincy Adams.
38
Andrew Jackson.
47
Martin Van Buren.
52
William Henry Harrison 56
John Tyler.
60
James K. Polk.
64
Zachary Taylor
68
. Millard Fillmore.
72
Franklin Pierce.
76
James Buchanan.
So
Abraham Lincoln.
S.4
Andrew Johnson
93
Ulysses S. Grant
96
Rutherford B. Hayes .102
James A. Garfield. .100
Chester A. Arthur.
.113
Grover Cleveland.
117
HISTORY + OF + IOW A.k
Aboriginal. 123.
Caucasian
121
James Clarke. .
175
Pioneer Life.
133
Ansel Briggs
179
Louisiana Territory
137
Stephen Hempstead.
183
Iowa Territory
132
State Organization and Subse- quent History 141
Patriotism .. 146
Iowa Since the War. 151
State Institutions 151
Educational.
154
Statistical
157
John Il. Gear ..
.215
Physical Features
158
Geology
158
Climate
163
HISTORY OF CLARKE COUNTY.
BIOGRAPHICAL + SKETCHES.F
A.
Abernathy, George. .241
Adams, R. M .. .426
Adams, William. 474
Adkins, G. C. .433
Adkins, R. M.
.243
Adkins, W. II.
440
Beede, W. W. .296 Adkins, Wyatt. 386
Agnew, W. G. 400
Anderson, O. P. .439
Anderson, T. J. .337
Arnett, Thomas .. 434
Arnold, Benjamin .3.56
Arnold, J. J.
.301
Atkins, E. A. . 271
Avres, C. T.
.351
Ayres, Justin. .345
B.
Babb, S. R.
.291
Baldwin, John
318
Baldwin, J. L. .317
Ball, J. M .. .245
Banker, G. W.
Barnard, Theodore. .365
Bates, Randall. 404
Bechtel, D. B. . 367
Beckett, A. J .412
Bell, Edgar .. .309
Bennett, Lemon .263
Benson, Alester .242
Bevard, J. F .292
Bevard, Jonathan .290
Black, L. F. .394
Blythe, Cuvin .324
Boden, J. W. .355
Boyle, L .. . 200
Brown, B. F. 278
Brown, E. 11.
.395
Combs, J. D.
425
Bumgardner, George.
.40S
Burgus, Ferdinand A. .424
Burgus, John .250
Burrows, A. II .. .282
Burrows, Hon. B.
.018
C.
Carder, George.
. 429
Carder, J. M .. .360
Carson, Abraham .251 Carter, Abraham .235
Carter, Casper.
.3.16
Chaney, John .248
Chapman, B. F. .292
Chew, R. L. .304
Clark, DeW. A. 292
Clark, James .393
Clark, J. A. . .300
Cochran, M. J. 297
Conaway, Warren.
237
Burgus, Charles.
238
Coon, Josiah
-306
Census of Iowa. .
.164
Territorial Officers.
,164
State Officers.
165
GOVERNORS CF + IOWA.k
Robert Lucas.
John Chambers
173
James W. Grimes
IS7
Ralph P. Lowe.
.191
Samuel J. Kirkwood
195
William M. Stone
Samuel Merrill.
.203
Cyrus C. Carpenter
.207
Joshua G. Newhold.
.311
Buren R. Sherman
.219
William Larrabee.
.223
CONTENTS.
Coppock, Benjamin, .417
Cowles, G. H 248
Cox, Israel 313
Crew, A. J. 257
Crowley, Jacob.
.359
Curtis, Francis.
435
D.
Daniel, J. S. 251
Daniel, j. W 428
Day, T. W .237
Deitrick, B.
.270
lloffman, Nicholas
.253
Delong, Ephraim.
.305
Denly, T. J. .237
Diehl, John.
.314
Donner, Charles .433
Duke, H. R. . 322
Duncan, W. M.
392
.
E.
Emary, F. J. Sr
.432
Emary, F. J. .. .416
Emary, W. B. F. .334
Emery, Jesse.
.321
Erb, E. A
.405
Evans, E. J
.340
Evans, M. L.
383
Evans, W. G
236
F.
Farley, J. H.
.372
Farley, W. T.
.310
Felger, Benjamin . 284
Findlay, R. S.
.373
Flynn, Michael.
.381
Folger, H. C ..
418
Forster, M. C ..
. 361
Fouch, G. W.
.405
Fouch, Isaac
.400
Fowler, P. L ..
.357
Fox, Patrick.
.238
Freeman, L. B.
.392
Funston, T. C.
308
G.
Gardner, Alphonzo
.38
Gardner, R. E.
.352
Gardner, W. H.
319
Garretson, B. F.
.410
Gates, J. M.
.431
Gibson, E. P.
.212
Graves, Elon, .294
Graves, J. N.
.317
Gregg, Thomas.
.313
Gregg, Wesley.
.246
Grigg, R. C.
.245
Gross, H. F.
.297
Gutches, George. 352
H.
Hadley, A. M.
.239
Hadley, Jesse. .413
Hall. D. F. .393
Hall, J. W
.397
IIall, W HI.
.427
Halling, H. P. 266
Halloway, J. P 382
Ilan,ilton, W. J. .436
Ifanks, Isaiah.
. 361
liarlan, George.
379
Ilarlan, John .261
llarper, W. E. .323
Harrison, J. C. .413
la:rison, T. V
.393
Hart, Elijah ..
425
llendrick, W. S. .403
Hermance, H. B. 363
Hill, A. .335 Manly, B. II. .352
Manly, William. 370
Marquis, J. II. .353
Marquis, S. N. . 358
Marquis, W. W .355
Martin, M. T .. .47
Martindale, J. H. .360
Mathews, W. T. 336
Maxwell, D. K.
414
Mayturn, William 205
McAuley, J. O ..
. 395
McCartney, P. H. .35)
McDonough, John. 233
Melntire, C. C .. . .304
Mckinney, Lemuel 245 McKnight, James. 36.1.
McNeil, D. T.
EX1
Mc Nichols, Nathaniel .299
Meany, Michael. .394
Messenger, S. C.
.344
Miller, Frederick
.423
Milier, Philip .293
Moore, E. J. .326
Morris, Rev. J. 1
. 257
Morris, J. S.
.262
Morrow, W. E .. .261
Mowrey, Conrad 370
Moyers, R. R 357
Mullen, 11. M. 291
Musselinan, John
Musselman, S. G 305
Myers, L. P.
304
Myer, W. L.
N.
Neal, C. W.
.425
Neist, Frederick
.fi
Newsome, Jolin.
. 307
O.
Oehlert, Hans
241
O'Neall, T. B.
.235
Otis, W. G.
277
Kerns, Adam.
.249
Painter, J. C.
.390
Parker, S. W.
285
Parrish, W. O.
.239
Klien, Theobald.
.4.39
Perdue, C. C.
. 306
Knotts, Jedidiah.
.337
Perdue, Daniel
251
Kyte, F. M.
.254
Piper, John.
. 303
Kyte, John.
.272
Pitt, R.
239
L.
Lambertson, P. N
.298
Lamson, M. R
.431
Landis, A. C.
.410
Landis, S. L
.334
Lane, j B ..
320
Lanham, E. A.
.312
Lawrence, Edward.
.415
Laws, E, M.
.379
Leave!, R. J.
.256
Lent, James
.309
Lewis, John. .343
Likes, William. .270
L.inder, J. M. .365
Lowe, W. S.
.393
Luce, W. S.
411
Lyons, Anderson.
425
M.
Hill, Mordecai. 300
Hodges, Albert. .3SS
Hodges, Charles. .344
Hogue, William . 315
Holcomb, Cyrus.
283
Holloway, T. W.
.386
Ilood, J. W .300
Horton, C. C. .252
Howe, Charles .294
Howe, G. W. .231
Huber, J. B. .354
Hudgel, R. T .. .399
Huff, P .. W ..
.325
Hlumiston, James,
.324
Hutsinpiller, W. B. H.
.331
F
Jackson, Andrew .339
Jamison, J. 11 .37!
Jamison, Robert. .259
Jenkins, William.
389
Jenks, Edward.
.415
Jenks, Jerry ...
.311
Jennison, J. C. . 366
Johnson, A. C. .414
Johnson, A. S .. . 38!
Johnson, Beniamin
.366
Johnson, C. R.
.434
Johnson, F. W
-332
Johnson, M. T.
265
Jolinson, T. P. . 269
Johnson, Thomas.
.321
Johnson, T. E .372
Johnson, W. H.
-385
Jolly, N. J.
.412
Jones, J. A. . 341
K.
Karr, H. L.
.369
Keenan, Thomas.
.378
Kelley, J. B
.277
Kelley, J. W.
.253
Kelley, Joseph.
.315
Kerr, John .. .240
Porterfield, Nathaniel.
416
Powell, St. Clair.
.333
Proudfoot, Jacob.
. 311
R.
Rankin, E. E.
397
Rarick, A. C.
-377
Rarick, A. C.
-397
Read, (. H.
.293
Ream, Levi ..
.335
Layton, Alexander ..
.272
Regan, Jeremiah
.355
Reich, Somiue!
249
Rice, jemes.
.31:5
Ford, William. . 380
Glenn, S. P. .232
Kerr, Matthias. .267 Green, J. E. .286
CONTENTS.
Richards, J. W. . 358
Richards, W. S .377
Ricker, E. F. .271
Rinner, Peter. .341
Riley, E. F.
.250
Robins, B. M. . 431
Robinson, Erastus
.371
Rodgers, J. M.
277
Rogers, Milton,
.200
Ronk, A. J .294
Rook, T. J.
. 362
Ryan, 11. H. 26S
S.
Sanders, Abisha .323
Schaff, Matthew .391
Scott, A. L. .409
Sherer, F. M.
.342
Sherer, John ..
.2SS
Sherman, J. W. & J. H .368
Shockling, Sebastian. 373
Smith, A. P 264
Smith, C. B .. . 299
Smith, Rev. G. W
. 388
Smith, I. G . 299
Spellerberg, Henry .429
Standish, W. A .. .407
Stephenson, James .430 Stevens, W. H. 309 Stiffler, J. W 263 Stiffler, Wesley. .423
Stivers, Henry
.3.51
Stoner, 11. A
. 382
Strawn, J. C.
.252
Swan, J. O. .258
Switzer, J. F.
.333
Switzer, J. T
336
T.
Tallman, W. B.
2S6
Taylor, J. J.
.39S
Taylor, K. P .316
Tedrow, J. L.
279
Zink, Lewis.
403
Teller, Tobias. .354
Thrasher, V. F
.366
Tillotson, G. N
.427
Trobough, G. A
.424
Turner, G. W.
.200
Turner, Phineas.
U.
Ury, Charles
261
V.
Vaught, G. W.
.316
Vinson, T. G.
356
W.
Wade, J. A.
4.32
Wallace, J. M.
.33S
Watson, W. C.
.295
Weakland. S. A
. 285
Webster, Dickinson.
.374
Welch, Andrew
.368
Whaling. Isaac. -395
Wharff, William 400
Wiant, Isaac.
.243
Williams, I. S.
257
The Press
.487
Williams, W. W .405 The Par. 490
Williamson, E E ..
.423
The Medical Profession
.494
Williamson, Richard,
.398
Educational.
495
Wilson, W. M
260
Agricultura !.
.500
Woodbury, J. A
281
Railroads.
. 507
Miscellaneous.
.500
Woodward, H. D.
268
Osceola
.515
Wyatt, S.
234
Y.
Young, J. S.
-319
Young, W. J
409
7 ..
PORTRAITS &
Agnew, W. G.
Carter, Casper.
.31S
Carter, Mrs. Casper.
.349
Folger, 11. C.
.420
Folger, Mrs. Einily
421
llamilton, W. J
437
Hood, J. W.
-301
Howe, G. W
.230
Kyte, F. M.
.255
Kyte, Mrs. N. L.
.256
Kyte, John.
.274
Kyte, Mrs. M. J.
.275
McDonough, John.
.233
Moore, E. J,.
32S
Moore, Mrs. E. J.
329
Webster, Dickinson,
375
GENERAL İ HISTORY.R
Introductory.
415
Early and Civil History
419
Political
453
The Civil War
471
Villages
525
'Woods, A. A ..
.240
Snider, J. G ..
2So
Wells, J. B.
.339
PRESIDENTSE
OF THE
4.1.4.5
-
一
-
٫٠٠
-
lin
9
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
MIEYE
GEORGE
rand
ASHINGTON.
EORGE WASHING- TON, the " Father of his Country" and its first President, 1739- '97, was born Febru- ary 22, 1732, in Wash- ington Parish, West- moreland County, Virginia. His father, Augustine Wash- ington, first married Jane But- ler, who bore him four chil- dren, and March 6, 1730, he married Mary Ball. Of six children by his second mar- 1 riage, George was the eldest, the others being Betty, Samuel, John, Au- gustine, Charles and Mildred, of whom the youngest died in infancy. Little is known of the early years of Washington, beyond the fact that the house in which he was born was burned during his early child- hood, and that his father thereupon moved to another farm, inherited from his paternal ancestors, situated in Stafford County, on the north bank of the Rappahannock, where he acted as agent of the Principio Iron Works in the immediate vicinity, and died there in 1743.
From earliest childhood George devel- oped a noble character. He had a vigorous constitution, a fine form, and great bodily strength. His education was somewhat de-
fective, being confined to the elementary branches taught him by his mother and at a neighboring school. He developed, how- ever, a fondness for mathematics, and en- joyed in that branch the instructions of a private teacher. On leaving school he re- sided for some time at Mount Vernon with his half brother, Lawrence, who acted as his guardian, and who had married a daugh- ter of his neighbor at Belvoir on the Poto- mac, the wealthy William Fairfax, for some time president of the executive council of the colony. Both Fairfax and his son-in-law, Lawrence Washington, had served with dis- tinction in 1740 as officers of an American battalion at the siege of Carthagena, and were friends and correspondents of Admiral Vernon, for whom the latter's residence on the Potomac has been named. George's inclinations were for a similar career, and a midshipman's warrant was procured for him, probably through the influence of the Admiral ; but through the opposition of his mother the project was abandoned. The family connection with the Fairfaxes, how- ever, opened another carcer for the young man, who, at the age of sixteen, was ap- pointed surveyor to the immense estates of the eccentric Lord Fairfax, who was then on a visit at Belvoir, and who shortly after- ward established his baronial residence at Greenway Court, in the Shenandoah Valley.
5.4.
10
PRESIDENIS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Three years were passed by young Wash- ington in a rough frontier life, gaining ex- perience which afterward proved very es- sential to him.
In 1751, when the Virginia militia were put under training with a view to active service against France, Washington, though only nineteen years of age, was appointed Adjutant with the rank of Major. In Sep- tember of that year the failing health of Lawrence Washington rendered it neces- sary for him to seek a warmer climate, and George accompanied him in a voyage to Barbadoes. They returned early in 1752, and Lawrence shortly afterward died, leav- ing his large property to an infant daughter. In his will George was named one of the executors and as eventual heir to Mount Vernon, and by the death of the infant niece soon succeeded to that estate.
On the arrival of Robert Dinwiddie as . Lieutenant-Governor of Virginia in 1752 the militia was reorganized, and the prov- , ince divided into four districts. Washing- ton was commissioned by Dinwiddie Adju- · tant-General of the Northern District in 1753, and in November of that year a most important as well as hazardous mission was assigned him. This was to proceed to the Canadian posts recently established on French Creek, near Lake Erie, to demand in the name of the King of England the withdrawal of the French from a territory claimed by Virginia. This enterprise had been declined by more than one officer, 1 January 17, 1759, Washington married Mrs. Martha (Dandridge) Custis, a young and beautiful widow of great wealth, and de- voted himself for the ensuing fifteen years to the quiet pursuits of agriculture, inter- rupted only by his annual attendance in winter upon the Colonial Legislature at Williamsburg, until summoned by his country to enter upon that other arena in which his fame was to become world wide. since it involved a journey through an ex- tensive and almost unexplored wilderness in the occupancy of savage Indian tribes, either hostile to the English, or of doubtful attachment. Major Washington, however, accepted the commission with alacrity ; and, accompanied by Captain Gist, he reached Fort Le Bœuf on French Creek, delivered his dispatches and received reply, which, of course, was a polite refusal to surrender the It is unnecessary here to trace the details posts. This reply was of such a character , of the struggle upon the question of local
as to induce the Assembly of Virginia to authorize the cxecutive to raise a regiment of 300 men for the purpose of maintaining the asserted rights of the British crown over the territory claimed. As Washing- ton declined to be a candidate for that post, the command of this regiment was given to Colonel Joshua Fry, and Major Washing- ton, at his own request, was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel. On the march to Ohio, news was received that a party previously sent to build a fort at the confluence of the Monongahela with the Ohio had been driven back by a considerable French force, which had completed the work there be- gun, and named it Fort Duquesne, in honor of the Marquis Duquesne, then Governor of Canada. This was the beginning of the great " French and Indian war," which con- tinned seven years. On the death of Colonel Fry, Washington succeeded to the com- mand of the regiment, and so well did he fulfill his trust that the Virginia Assembly commissioned him as Commander-in-Chief of all the forces raised in the colony.
A cessation of all Indian hostility on the frontier having followed the expulsion of the French from the Ohio, the object of Washington was accomplished and he re- signed his commission as Commander-in- Chief of the Virginia forces. He then pro- ceeded to Williamsburg to take his seat in the General Assembly, of which he had been elected a member.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
self-government, which, after ten years, cul- minated by act of Parliament of the port of Boston. It was at the instance of Virginia that a congress of all the colonies was called to meet at Philadelphia September 5, 1774, to secure their common liberties-if possible by peaceful means. To this Congress Colonel Washington was sent as a dele- gate. On dissolving in October, it recom- mended the colonies to send deputies to another Congress the following spring. In the meantime several of the colonies felt impelled to raise local forces to repel in- sults and aggressions on the part of British troops, so that on the assembling of the next Congress, May 10, 1775, the war prepara- tions of the mother country were unmis- takable. The battles of Concord and Lex- ington had been fought. Among the earliest acts, therefore, of the Congress was the selection of a commander-in-chief of the colonial forces. This office was unani- mously conferred upon Washington, still a member of the Congress. He accepted it on June 19, but on the express condition he should receive no salary.
He immediately repaired to the vicinity of Boston, against which point the British ministry had concentrated their forces. As early as April General Gage had 3,000 troops in and around this proscribed city. During the fall and winter the British policy clearly indicated a purpose to divide pub- lic sentiment and to build up a British party in the colonies. Those who sided with the ministry were stigmatized by the patriots as " Tories," while the patriots took to them- selves the name of " Whigs."
As early as 1776 the leading men had come to the conclusion that there was no hope except in separation and indepen- dence. In May of that year Washington wrote from the head of the army in New York: "A reconciliation with Great Brit- ain is impossible. When I took command of the army, I abhorred the idea
of independence ; but I am now fully satis- fied that nothing else will save us."
It is not the object of this sketch to trace the military acts of the patriot hero, to whose hands the fortunes and liberties of the United States were confided during the seven years' bloody struggle that ensued until the treaty of 1783, in which England acknowledged the independence of each of the thirteen States, and negotiated with them, jointly, as separate sovereignties. The merits of Washington as a military chief- tain have been considerably discussed, espe- cially by writers in his own country. Dur- ing the war he was most bitterly assailed for incompetency, and great efforts were made to displace him ; but he never for a moment lost the confidence of either the Congress or the people. December 4, 1783, the great commander took leave of his offi- cers in most affectionate and patriotic terms, and went to Annapolis, Maryland, where the Congress of the States was in session, and to that body, when peace and order prevailed everywhere, resigned his com- mission and retired to Mount Vernon.
It was in 1788 that Washington was called to the chief magistracy of the nation. He received every electoral vote cast in all the colleges of the States voting for the office of President. The 4th of March, 1789, was the time appointed for the Government of the United States to begin its operations, but several weeks elapsed before quorums of both the newly constituted houses of the Congress were assembled. The city of New York was the place where the Congress then met. April 16 Washington left his home to enter upon the discharge of his new duties. He set out with a purpose of traveling privately, and without attracting any public attention ; but this was impossi- ble. Everywhere on his way he was met with thronging crowds, eager to see the man whom they regarded as the chief de- fender of their liberties, and everywhere
... 4 >
12
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
he was hailed with those public manifesta- tions of joy, regard and love which spring spontaneously from the hearts of an affec- tionate and grateful people. His reception in New York was marked by a grandeur and an enthusiasm never before witnessed in that metropolis. The inauguration took place April 30, in the presence of an immense multitude which had assembled to witness the new and imposing ceremony. The oath of office was administered by Robert R. Livingston, Chancellor of the State. When this sacred pledge was given, he retired with the other officials into the Senate chamber, where he delivered his inaugural address to both houses of the newly con- stituted Congress in joint assembly.
In the manifold details of his civil ad- ministration, Washington proved himself equal to the requirements of his position. The greater portion of the first session of the first Congress was occupied in passing the necessary statutes for putting the new organization into complete operation. In the discussions brought up in the course of this legislation the nature and character of the new system came under general review. On no one of them did any decided antag .- nisi of opinion arisc. All held it to be a limited government, clothed only with spe- cific powers conferred by delegation from the States. There was no change in the name of the legislative department ; it still remained "the Congress of the United States of America." There was no change in the original flag of the country, and none in the seal, which still remains with the Grecian escutcheon borne by the eagle, with other emblems, under the great and expressive motto, " E Pluribus Unum."
The first division of parties arose upon the manner of construing the powers dele- gated, and they were first styled " strict constructionists" and "latitudinarian con- structionists." The former were for con- fining the action of the Government strictly
within its specific and limited sphere, while the others were for enlarging its powers by inference and implication. Hamilton and Jefferson, both members of the first cabinet, were regarded as the chief leaders, respect- ively, of these rising antagonistic parties, which have existed, under different names, from that day to this. Washington was re- gardedas holding a neutral position between them, though, by mature deliberation, he vetoed the first apportionment bill, in 1790, passed by the party headed by Hamilton, which was based upon a principle construct- ively leading to centralization or consoli- dation. This was the first exercise of the veto power under the present Constitution. It created considerable excitement at the time. Another bill was soon passed in pur- snance of Mr. Jefferson's views, which has been adhered to in principle in every ap- portionment act passed since.
At the second session of the new Con- gress, Washington announced the gratify- ing fact of "the accession of North Caro- lina" to the Constitution of 1787, and June I of the same year he announced by special message the like " accession of the State of Rhode Island," with his congratulations on the happy event which " united under the general Government" all the States which were originally confederated.
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