Biographical history of Cherokoe County, Iowa : Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state ; engravings of prominent citizens in Cherokee County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the county, the cities, and townships, Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1889
Publisher: Chicago : W.S. Dunbar
Number of Pages: 654


USA > Iowa > Cherokee County > Biographical history of Cherokoe County, Iowa : Containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States from Washington to Harrison, with accompanying biographies of each ; a condensed history of Iowa, with portraits and biographies of the governors of the state ; engravings of prominent citizens in Cherokee County, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families. A concise history of the county, the cities, and townships > Part 1


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71



HAROLD B. LEE LIBRARY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERNTY PROVO, UTAH


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from Brigham Young University


https://archive.org/details/biographicalhist1889chic


F 627 C47 B6


BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY 1


-OF-


CHEROKEE COUNTY, IOWA,


CONTAINING PORTRAITS OF ALL THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES FROM WASHINGTON TO HARRISON, WITH ACCOMPANYING BIOGRAPIIIES OF EACH; A' CONDENSED HISTORY OF IOWA, WITH PORTRAITS AND BIOGRAPHIES OF THE GOVERNORS OF THE STATE ; ENGRAVINGS OF PROMINENT CITIZENS IN CHEROKEE COUNTY, WITHI PERSONAL HISTORIES OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLERS AND LEADING FAMILIES. A CONCISE HISTORY OF THE COUNTY, THE CITIES, AND TOWNSHIPS.


W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS, 113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO, 1889,


THE LIBRARY BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY PROVO, UTAH


1


CONTENTS.


PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.


/ 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 Filmore


72


Franklin Pierce. 76


James Buchanan . 80


Andrew Johnson


93


Ulysses S. Grant.


96


Geology


· 158


Rutherford B. Hayes 102


James A. Garfield 109


Chester A. Arthur.


113


Grover Cleveland.


117


Benjamin Harrison


120


GOVERNORS OF IOWA.


Robert Lucas


171


John Chambers


178


James Clarke.


175


Ansel Briggs


179


Stephen Hempstead.


183


James W. Grimes 187


Ralph P. Lowe. .


191


Samuel J. Kirk wood 195


William M. Stone 199


Iowa Since the War


151


Samuel Merrill


203


Cyrus C. Carpenter.


207


Joshua G. Newbold.


.211


Buren R. Sherman


219


William Larrabee


223


HISTORY OF CHEROKEE COUNTY.


CHAPTER I.


INTRODUCTION


229


Location, Topography and Geology. 230


CHAPTER II.


EARLY SETTLEMENT. Early Settlement-The New England Colony. 233


The First Stake Driven. .


233


CHAPTER III.


FIRST EVENTS


239


CHAPTER IV.


INDIAN TROUBLES


241


A Terrible Experience


243


Pioneer James A. Brown's Experience.


244


CHAPTER V.


ORGANIZATION.


Creation and Organization of the County.


246


The County Seat .


247


Organization of Townships ...


215


CHAPTER VI.


COUNTY GOVERNMENT.


County Court. .


250


Board of Supervisors


251


Court-house.


255


Taxes Levied, etc


255


CHAPTER VII


MISCELLANEOUS.


Population by Townships


257


Church Property in 1855


257


Recorded Plats. ..


258


Climate.


163


Census of Iowa .. 164


Territorial Officers


164


State Officers.


165


HISTORY OF IOWA.


Aboriginal 123


Caucasian.


124


Pioneer Life


133


Louisiana Territory


137


Iowa Territory.


189


State Organization and Subse- quent History 141


Patriotism.


146


State Institutions.


151


Educational


154


Abraham Lincoln


84


Statistical


157


John H. Gear ..


215


Physical Features


.158


CONTENTS.


CHAPTER VIII.


POLITICAL. ..


261


Official Vote. 262


CHAPTER IX.


EDUCATIONAL.


271


School Report for 1888.


272


The Normal Institute ..


273


CHAPTER X.


AGRICULTURAL.


Agriculture and Stock-raising.


274


Farm Statistics in 1885. 276


The County Fair .. 276


CHAPTER XI.


RAILROADS


277


Laud Grants 277


279


CHAPTER XII.


THE BAR


281


CHAPTER XIII.


MEDICAL PROFESSION 284


Physicians of Cherokee County. 285


Cherokee County Medical Association 287


Willow


342


CHAPTER XIV.


THE CIVIL WAR


288


CHAPTER XV.


NEWSPAPERS.


The Newspaper Press 290


CHAPTER XVI.


ITEMS OF INTEREST.


296


Severe Storms.


298


The Grasshopper Plague.


301


CHAPTER XVII.


TOWNSHIP HISTORY.


Afton. 303


Amherst


305


Cedar 307


Village of Larrabee. 309


Diamond.


310


Grand Meadow


311


Liberty 312


Marcus 315


Town of Marcus 318


Pilot


324


Pitcher. Village of Aurelia


329


Rock


332


Silver.


333


Spring


335


Sheridan


337


Village of Meriden


339


Tilden


341


Village of Washta 344


Village of Quimby 347


Cherokee .


318


The City of Cherokee.


349


BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.


Archer, James.


.461


Bruce, Nathaniel. .509


Arnold, F. D.


475


Bruce, William


.477


Crippen, N. W


. 608


Austin, W. H


.534


Bailey, A. C.


636


Bailey, E. B.


.440


Bailey, E. E ..


493


Baker, J. H.


Banister, G. W .624


.382


Barnes, F. S ..


.395


Barnes, James


.454


Barr, G. MI


517


Barr, John


528


Beal, L. W.


387


Beckwith, Charles. .467


Bejasch. Henry


.620


Bejasch, Tobias .621


Clark, A. J.


536


Belew. A. L. 415


Cleaves, R. L


426 .561


Blomburg, Andrew


592


Bowers, A. W


.500


Briggs. H. S


474


Brookfield, H. L


.513


Brown, J. A


.593


Brown, P. N


.408


Corbett, Carlton 379


Ferrin, H. M 524


Ferris, W. L


Cottingham, Anthony. .487


Cowles, Eugene 401


Asman, Henry


577


Bunn, Caleb


.483


Crippen, T. T. . 608


Cushman, A. J 524


Dailey, J. W 578


Davis, Charles 454


Davis, W. E. 580


Dawson, S. N ..


.620


Delaney, Thomas. .574


De Vore, E. L .422


Deyo, L. S.


.533


Dickey, J. P.


446


Dingman, P. W


488


Dixon, C. K. .565


Dorr, John 409


Dorr, P. A .. .410


Dowding, J. C.


449


Bell, Robert ... .591 Bierman, Joseplı 618


Cline, Philip


Clow, W. H. .519


Cobb, J. L 457


Cook, I. C. 619


Coburn, G. F. .525


Coombs, W. M. 631


Farr, J. C


610


Dubes, Elias 399


Durkee, C. A. .506


Elford, W. H. 582


Fairweather, John .601


545


Carnalian, H. H.


638


Casey, W. F.


.564


Castor, C. L


Chapin, J. L. 549


Chapman, D. A. .456


.562


Charlton, E. R. 603


Chick, W. B .399


Bush, C. B .. .


.558


Butterfield, Nathaniel. 520


Carmen, A. J


Bunting, W. J. 481


Burroughs, N. T. .429


Burdge, S. W. .598


325


Cherokee & Dakota Railway.


CONTENTS.


Fletcher, John .563


Fobes, G. M. .507


Fobes, O. B .423


Foote, A. J .504


Fraser, Alexander . 486


French, John 396


Furgason, N. W 476


Lauer, Jacob .. 521


Laughlin, J. M.


.557


Gage, Orson 420


Gates, R. S 563


Gick, Robert .. 505


Le Barron, J. O.


.542


Parkhurst, S. B. .392


Gifford, E. W. .564


Gifford, William


628


Gillett, F. H


602


Gilman Bros


451


Gilmore, A. C. .600


Gleason, A. B.


572


Gleason, A. J


573


Libby, S. A.


Like, William.


Gleason, N. D


568


Goldie, W. P


441


Golden, W. T.


541


Gracey, Robert


527


Greer, Thomas 567


Gregg, E. W. 433


Gregg, Nilcs .623


Groves, J. H 395


Groves, M. V


600


Grundy, Dan 637


Grundy, Henry. .617


Hadenfeldt, Hans. .535


Hall, J. C. 466


Hartley, G. W


458


Hawn, J. M 544


Hawn, R. C. 401


Hayes, N. H .. 483


Hayward, Jr., S. W 546


Heaton, L. E.


635


Henderson, James 499


Hinman, F. M 594


Hiscox, T. P. 482


Hitchcock, J. J. 436


Hobart, C. E. P. .501


Hobart, N. E ... 597


Hoffman, H. F. 494


Hogan, John. . 470


Holly, W. D. F. .547


Hornibrook, Edward .419


Huntsinger, H. E. 469


Huxford, C. B.


442


Ingels, J. B. 412


Jackson, I. M


384


James, S. G


.632


Jay, E. E. .512


Johnson, Amon .418


Johnson, Andrew .628


Montagne, J. C ...


473


Johnson, G. A .502


Montagne, J. G.


472


Johnson, James. .627


Montgomery, James. 548 Simpson, B. O.


Montgomery, Joseph .547 Skavlen, II. A


Morgan, E. F 414


Morrison, Edward .596


Morrison, H. A. 617


Mueller, C. .519


Mummert, Moses.


.626


Mundy, George. .544


Kellogg, H. C. .404


Kennedy, T. D. .576


Kircher, J. II .638


, Nelson, P. B.


518


Neville, S. W . . 607


Newcomb, W. F. 578


Newhart, F. P .461


Nicholson, Charles. 465


Nordstrom, C. J.


.609


Oakes, W. L. .479


Olmstead, O. R.


591


Parker, E. W. .397


Parkinson, J. D. .614


Patton, W. J.


531


Peavey, R. H. .476


Pelton, Watson .582


Perry, Robert. .381


Phelan, Daniel . 588


Phipps, Albert. .389


Phipps, H. L .. 485


Phipps, J. A. 485


Pingrey, Asaph. .598


Pitcher, Horatio. .385


Polkinghorn, Arthur .566


Potter, J. F. .449


Prescott, G. W 383


Prosser, C. A. S. 439


Quinn, C. F 457


Radcliffe, Benjamin. 516


Radeka, F. O .629


Reed, A. D. 606


Rees, Josiah .554


Rice, J. N.


605


Rickard, J. B .. .548


Ricker, Joseph. 529


Riddle, John 602


Riegel, J. G 589


Risley, J. A. 444


Roberts, W. W


.595


McGee, J. E. 530 Ross, A. B. 445


Rowe, J. B .


437


Rutherford, R. B. 453


Sanborn, J. A. 611


Sanger, J. T. .574


Saunders, J. T 442


Scott, David.


614


Scott, Samuel


549


Scurlock, Thomas 484


Sellers, George. 553


Shelden, J. F. 439


Shelden, J. II 441


Shell, Theron 490


Siegel, J. F.


616


Silver, B. F. 530 Simmons, D. S. 492


Simons, W. E


522


Smith, A. C. 413


Smith, A. J.


556


Smith, Cade 556


Smith, C. M. .560


Smith, J. D. F .590


Smith, J. K. .539


Smith, Matthias .581


Smith, R. M.


595


Smith, W. P ..


526


Kircher, Jacob .636


Kludas, Fred. 509


Lamoreux, II. H. 435


Lane, H. M. 478


Lane, Isaac 559


Layton, D. .480


Lea, R. E. .530


Lebourveau, G. W. .391


Lee, H. K.


Leeds, Henry.


Lehman, H. B.


Lewis, F. A.


.517


Lewis, R. A.


.505


513


Linquist, Peter.


633


Littell, J. C.


495


Little, W. P.


.469


Lockin, J. C.


386


Lord, Hiram. .635


Lowell, David. 637


Lyman, S. W. 480


MacAllister, J. 432


Maltby, H. A. 437


Mapes, A. M 599


Marsh, W. C. 486


Martin, E. E. 515


Matthew, Peter 510


Mayer, Jacob .. 526


McConnell, J. M .412


McCoun, Joseph


.541


McCready, R. T ..


489


McCulla, L. J 631


McCulla, Thomas 394


McDonald, John 566


Mckinney, A. 603


McNeal, D. W .496


Melter, Daniel .. .533


Menefee, Robert. 612


Metcalfe, J. A. . 587


Miles, Robert.


.462


Millard, J. S. .


629


Miller, Edward.


.586


Miller, G. M. 461


Miller, John . 613


Miller, Wireman 411 Shaul, A. J 416


Miller, W. L.


Miller, W. P ..


460


Minor, O. P .. 417


Mitchell, H. C .. 606


Molyneux, F. H. 579


Johnson, Nathan. .626


Jones, G. S. .634


Jones, J. E. .459


Jones, J. W .. .576


Jones, William .503


Jordan, William . .511


Nelson, L. D


482


543


.467


.528


Gleason, Elisha 571


.623


434


593


592


CONTENTS.


Smyth, R. J.


.594


Umhoefer, J. H. .463


Williams, S. T. .491


Snyder, G. D. .545


Unger, Daniel. 568


Wilson, E. L 523


Sones, J. T.


.520


Soyster, S. J.


540


Vandercook, Mordecai 585


Wilson, N. W 521


Spanton, John


550


Wirt, J. D. 621


Spencer, N. W


471


Spinharney, Blasius 532


Stanford, Rev. D. R


615


Stanford, J. H.


615


Starbuck, J. M .425


Stevens, C. H. .508


Stewart, A. G


.561


Whisman, A. J


554


Burroughs, N. T 428


Clark, A. J ... 537


Corbett, Carlton 378


Templeman, 604


Whitehouse, E. HI 511


Gleason, Elisha . .570


Thompson, Adam 531


Whitmore, F. E. 402


Henderson, James 498


Thompson, J. P. .543


468


Whitney, John. 630


Potter, J. F 448


Sellers, George. 552


Ulstad, L. M


535


Willett, E. C. 473


Vandercook, MI


.585


Ward, George 516


Yaw, F. D. 443


Warren, N. S. 514


Weaver, G. E. 514


Weintz, P. H 575


Weis, Joseph. 622


Weise, Henry 478


Stiles, C. A. .589


White, D. W


579


Stiles, F. T.


572


White, T. J.


.618


Whitney, C. E. 455


Kellogg. H. C. 495


Thurber, P. F.


Wight, O. S. .450


Wilson, J. C. 463


Ward, Abraham. 610


Yocum, O. E. 416


Zimmer, John .. 471


PORTRAITS.


1


H


9


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


GEORGE WASHINGTON.


EORGE WASHING- TON, the " Father of his Country" and its first President, 1789- '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- 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 career 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.


70


PRESIDENTS 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, 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 posts. This reply was of such a character


as to induce the Assembly of Virginia to authorize the executive 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- tinued 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.


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.


It is unnecessary here to trace the details of the struggle upon the question of local



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


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 antago- nism of opinion arise. 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. garded as 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- suance 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.


In 1792, at the second Presidential elec- tion, Washington was desirous to retire; but he yielded to the general wish of the country, and was again chosen President by the unanimous vote of every electoral college. At the third election, 1796, he was again most urgently entreated to consent to remain in the executive chair. This he positively refused. In September, before the election, he gave to his countrymen his memorable Farewell Address, which in lan- guage, sentiment and patriotism was a fit and crowning glory of his illustrious life. After March 4, 1797, he again retired to Mount Vernon for peace, quiet and repose.


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GEORGE WASHINGTON.


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His administration for the two terms had been successful beyond the expectation and hopes of even the most sanguine of his friends. The finances of the country were no longer in an embarrassed condition, the public credit was fully restored, life was given to every department of industry, the workings of the new system in allowing Congress to raise revenue from duties on imports proved to be not only harmonious in its federal action, but astonishing in its results upon the commerce and trade of all the States. The exports from the Union increased from $19,000,000 to over $55,000,- 000 per annum, while the imports increased in about the same proportion. Three new members had been added to the Union. The progress of the States in their new career under their new organization thus far was exceedingly encouraging, not only to the friends of liberty within their own limits, but to their sympathizing allies in all climes and countries.


chief to quit his repose at Mount Vernon and take command of all the United States forces, with the rank of Lieutenant-General, when war was threatened with France in 1798, nothing need here be stated, except to note the fact as an unmistakable testimo- nial of the high regard in which he was still held by his countrymen, of all shades of po- litical opinion. He patriotically accepted this trust, but a treaty of peace put a stop to all action under it. He again retired to Mount Vernon, where, after a short and severe illness, he died December 14, 1799, in the sixty-eighth year of his age. The whole country was filled with gloom by this sad intelligence. Men of all parties in poli- tics and creeds in religion, in every State in the Union, united with Congress in " pay- ing honor to the man, first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his country- men."




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