USA > Illinois > Brown County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 1
USA > Illinois > Cass County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 1
USA > Illinois > Schuyler County > Biographical review of Cass, Schuyler and Brown Counties, Illinois: Containing biographical sketches of pioneers and leading citizens > Part 1
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LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
977.347 B52
NGnois Historical Survey
مدحمد
مير
1
سمير
BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW
-OF-
Lass, Schuyler
and
rown
Counties,
AIllinois.
Containing Biographical Sketches of Pioneers and Leading Citizens.
" Biography is the only true history." -- Emerson.
CHICAGO: BIOGRAPHICAL REVIEW PUBLISHING CO.
1892.
.
KGW
1
977.347 B52
NTS.A
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 Fillmore
72
Franklin Pierce
76
James Buchanan
80
Abraham Lincoln
84
Andrew Johnson
(3
Ulysses S. Grant
96
R. B. Hayes
102
J. A. Garfield.
109
Chester A. Arthur
113
Grover Cleveland
117
Benjamin Harrison
120
11737 Tmc
general 2 2 jan 36 are NA
9 1951 Bly.
-
٠٠
V
CONTENTS.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
A
Adams, Wm. T.
244
Agnew, Jas. M. 321
Alexander, W. L ... 288
Allard, Cad. 271
Allen, A. R.
366
Allen, D. H.
382
Allison, Jos. 430
Allphin, G. W 133
Allphin, Z.
134
Anderson, E. M
610
Anderson, Frank 320
Anderson, Robert 580
Anderson, V.
405
Angier, F. L.
258
Arenz, J. A.
C
Armstrong, Thomas 568
Aten, C. L.
438
Aten, Robert .. 391
Avery, Philander 181
Ayers, M 144
B
Bacon, H. M.
458
Bader, Wm.
291
Bagby, Johu. C.
150
Baker, N. W.
541
Baujan, John.
496
Baujan, H. J. 508
Barneycastle, G. W
580
Barry, L. T.
378
Barton, Thos.
406
Baxter, H. B
337
Beatty, J. J.
568
Becker, Conrad.
538
Beck witb, E. W. 203
Bell, Ira .. 589
Bennett, John. L. 238
Berry, F. E. 139
Berry, O. A: 232
Bertholf, Edward.
520
Black, Isaac. 549
Black, J. F. 128 Coil, A. S.
Black, John. H. 296 Coleman, Wm. H. 270
Black, J. M. 174
Black, R. S. 616
Black, W. T. . 132
Blackburn, B. M 369
Bleyer, J. W. 523
Blose, D. A .. 474
Bokemeier, Chas 246
Bolle, E. H ..
488
Bollman, W. C.
201
Craske, Henry
Boone, N. H .. 471
Bordenkircher, Geo. 143 Crum, G. W.
Bowe, Mrs. M. F. 606 Crum, H. J. 443
Crum, Jas ...
436
Crum, Thos. J ..
312
Cunningham, A
343
Cunningham, James.
416
Cuningham, T. E. 513
D
Daniel, J. W
413
Darnell, Je
597
Davis, F. E 360
Davis, J. A.
307
Davis, J. H.
415
Davis, W. B .. 180
Davis, Wm. J 199
De Counter, Samuel 311
Demaree, W. L .. 381
Deppe, J. H.
396
De Witt, Jas
262
De Witt, Jas. L. 497
Dick, Levi. 216
Dirreen, John. 345
Dodds, David. 371
Dodge, J. S.
290
Dorsett, C .. 420
Dorsett, W. D.
157
Downing, F. E.
584
Campbell, Pauline 464 Druse, W. H 577
Camphell, Wm. 365 Duchardt, Christian 357
Dunlap, C. M. 491
Dunn, Chas. N 136
Dunn, R. H.
865
Dupes, Christian
239
Dyson, Edwin.
333
E
Edgar, A. C.
137
Edmonston, Enoch ..
195
Edwards, J. M.
507
Eifert, Geo. H.
260
Elliott, John.
333
Ellis, S. E .. 304
Emmerson, Wm. T 588
Erwin, Geo. W.
599
Erwin, Lewis D
461
Evans, Hiram
437
F
Fields, G. I. 249
Fischer, Henry Jr .. 545
Flinn, J. C. 387
Foote, Johu.
618
Foster, H. T.
179
Frank, Ed S.
449
Frankenfield, Theo 473
Freesen, Wm .. .
594
Frey, John. Geo. 485
Frisby, Geo. W
525
Fulks, R. B.
512
Brackenridge, W. H 357
Bradbury, J. T. 159
Brannan, Stephen 521
Briar, Joseph ..
272
Curry, F. M
161
Brockman, Wash.
131
Brockschmidt, Christian 503
Broker, Wmn A. .
287
Brooks, Martin. 164 .
Brown, Robt 280
Browning, J. J. 398
Brumhack, W. L. 504
Buck, J. J. 318
Buracker, Wm. 153
Burnside, Wm. H. 361
Bush, Richard ..
533
Byrns, G. A. 341
Cady, F. E.
507
Cady, Henry 209
Cady, M. E. 283
Calef, S. L.
146
Campbell, G. S .. 220
Camphell, Geo. W 515
Campbell, L. C .. 313
Carles, L. M.
166
Carls, J. H. 458
Carr, David .. 446
Carter, Thomas H 259
Chalfant, T. J. 497
Clark, Ahner A.
323
Clark, F. A.
439
Clark, J. H.
529
Clark, J. T ..
316
Clark, L. W
Clark, T. J. .
206
Clark, W. A
316
Cleek, M. M.
403
Clifford, Michael
176
488
Colt, D. P.
389
Coningham, Grove. 289 Conover, Geo. 367 Cook, S. W .. 541
Cosner, Jos. L. 350
Cox, Wmn. M. 164
Cramer, Englehert .. 576
Crampton, S. C.
391
151
Crawford, Jas 170
219
Boyd, Mark.
160
Boyd, Richard ..
540
Clark, J. K ..
187
Clark, Elias.
522
188
Funk, H. C ..
612
236
vi
CONTENTS.
Howell, Jacob .. 524
Howell, Thos. S. 383 Leib, E .. 571
Hueschen, John 421 Lewis, Azariah. 222
Linn, D. C. 570
Listmann, John 374
Little, Roht. 574
Logsdon, Aaron 476
Logsdon, Andrew €26
Logsdon, Joseph 531
Logsdon, Perry .. 203
Lovekamp, H. H. 554
Lowry, A. K. 175
Lucas, G. W .. . 407
Lucas, Newton 155
Lucas, Wm.
384
Lutterell, Mrs. S. B. 348
Lyons, Daniel. 593
M
Main, Z. E. 318
Manlove, Wm. B 248
Marshall, A. L ... 399
Martin, Rachel D. 414
Matthew, James D 332
Mayreis, Conrad. 314
McCabe, Dr. A. A. 560
McCabe, Jolin .. 159
McCaskill, W. H. 583
McClintock, J. W 539
McCormick, A. B 425
McCoy, G. W. 344
McCreery, W. T 494
McDannold, J. J. 194
McDannold, T. 1. 246
McFarland, R. N 324
McKee, Wm 334
Mc Master, R. B. . 230
Mead, A. J. 200
Mead, R. H 212
Meats, Isaac. 459
Merscher, J. W 356
Merz, Jolın .. . 483
Meserve, N. P. 563
Meservey, Joseph. 297
551
Meyer, F. W.
535
Meyer, H. C.
329
Meyer, H. W 274
Milby, E. T. 554
Miller, Aaron 280
Miller, Samuel. 592
253
Milner, R. .
390
Misenhimer, Isaac.
515
Mohlmann, W. G.
234
Moore, Alex
481
Moore. J. B
218
Hlinman, Mrs. M.
556
Larash, W. I 308
Moore, S. A ..
566
Morrell, Wm
434
Lawler, J. Thomas 480
Morris, J. W.
473
Lawrence, Frank 429
Muhlert, Francis.
585
Mumford, Wm. N
404
Horrom, Cyrus. 181
Lee, W. H.
392
Munroe, Thomas
125
Murphy, J. P. 502
-
-
G
Gapen, Thos. 587
Garm, Henry. 442
Garner, I. R. 581
Garner, W. S. 423
Gaut, W. P. 493
Gerrisb, Cynthia.
466
Gerrish, Jacob D.
Gibson, Ira N.
480
Gifford, Jos. 233
Glandon, John. 454
Glaze, W. W 245
Glover, W. S .. 561
Goodell, J. H 385
Green, Nancy 198
Greenwell, Wm. M. 170
Greer, Geo
802
Greer, J. L ...
578
Greer, M. W
130
Greve, Henry. 417
Griffith, R. H .. 478
Griffith, W. H. 558
Grimwood W. M 516
Grover, Jas .. 519
Grover, II. P 530
H
HIackman, E. F. 211
Hackman, Wm. 235
Ilageman, A. L. 567
Hagener, Ed ... 495
Hagener, John H. 320
Hager, Lyman 432
Hale, Wm .. 505
Ifall, E. G. 445
Hambaugh, J. M. 601
Hammer, F. A. 242
Hansmeyer, H. 127
Harbison, Martha J. 352
Harbison, Moses 470
Harding, Peyton. 548
Harris, Maro. 557
Ilarshey, Amos 450
Hash, Zachariah
490
Hayes, J. W. 579
Heaton, Henry W 401
Heaton, John. 379
Iledgcock, A. J 193
Hedgcock, Joshua 344
Herron, David ... 143
Herzberger, Conrad. 399
Hierman II. A .... 537
Iliggins, Jackson 279
Hiles, Jas 219
Hill, A. 575
Hill, Chas. 451
Hill, Israel ..
359
Hills, John. T.
517
Hindman, Samuel.
552
Hines, H.
433
Ilines, H .. 433
Hoffman, Geo. II. 551
Hoffman, J. C. 511
Hood, S. J .. 271
Leach, E. D. 317
Leek, H. 477
Leeper. A. A. 330
Huff, G. P. 479
Huge, F. W 512
Hunt, Jos.
197
Huppers, Wm. 136
Huss, C. J ...
611
Huss, John. F. 301
I
Irwin, C. N
441
J
Jackson, Ezra 205
Jackson, Mary. 590
Jaques, Hiram 256
Jockisch, Ernest. -620
Jockisch, Wm. 346
Johnson, C. F 294
Johnston, D. W. C. 600
Jokisch, C. T. 145
Jokisch, C. G ..
141
Jokisch, Philip.
377
Jones, C. E.
210
Jones, Thos.
353
Juett, Chas. H. 535
K
Kallasch, Adolph. 402
Keil, II. C. 241
Keitb, P. R. 486
Kendrick, John. G. 612
Kennedy, Charles 426
Kerley, King. 410
Kerr, John 196
Kircher, John. 607
Kirkham, Geo. H. 527
Kloker, L. F 298
Knight, Thos. 252
Korsmeyer, F. W 153
400
Korte, Henry C. 273
Krohe, Augnst. 562
282
Krohe, Fred ..
259
Krohe, Henry C.
310
Krohe, Lewis E.
395
Meyer, Henry
Krueger, C. S.
467
Kruse, F. II. D 465
Kuhl, George.
277
Kullmann, Chris. 381
L
Lambert, Wm .J. 534
Lancaster, Reuben 352
Lane, C. M .. 484
Lang, F. C. 340
Launer, T. C .. 595
McPhail, Angus 536
Korsmeyer, II. H.
Krohe, Henry W
Meyer, Fred. 204
Mills, R. W.
.
Horton, Johu. D. 324
466
vii
N
Neeley, James. 484
Neeley, J. E. 544
Newbold, H. Y. 575
Newman, Robt. 453
Nicholson, J. S .
244
Nieman, C. E .. 472
Niestradt, H. C. 553
Noble A. L.
342
Nokes, S. D.
261
Norbury, C. J
237
0
Oetgen, Wm
142
Oetgen, H. W.
455
Orr, D. W.
588
Orwig, J. W.
572
Osborn, R. J
370
Owens, D. W. 394
P
Parke, Jos.
544
Parke, Overton. 349
Parrott, Thos. P.
227
Schmitt, Geo. J
. .
485
Schmoldt, H. M.
182
Patteson, Jonathan
138
Patterson, Jas. M.
559
Pence, Joseph
322
Schultz, H. C
315
Perry, I. 241
Perry, Jas .. 509
Perry, Wm. 557
Persinger, L. G.
326
Petefish, S. H ..
372
Pevehonse, I. N.
428
Phelps, Chas. H
531
Philippi, P. P
358
Pilger, C 368
Pilger, Wm. 506
Plaster, Jeptha. 498
Price, F. C.
240
Serrot, Leonard 448
Price, Mrs. Wm 140 Settles, Gilderoy 444
Price, Wm. T.
305
Prince, F. R.
424
Pruett, J. S. 167
R
Ranney, S. T. 174 Skiles, H. A. 518
Ravenscroft, Mary F.
411
Skiles, Oswell.
375
Way, Wm. A.
309
Read, Jas. M.
468
Slack, N. G.
565
Webb, Allen
542
Redfield, T. M
361
Reeve, S. A. .
202
Reid Duncan, 294 Smith, T. L. 469 Wellfare, F. E 162
Reno, W. C. 563 Snyder, Geo. E 500 Wells, R. 149
Rice, Chauncey 163 Snyder, J. F 604
Rich, Robert. 435 Snyder, J. H.
Richardson, Geo. E. 574 Snyder, J. W. 135
Rickard, P. W. 189
Rigg, J. N.
287
Rigg, Peter 309
Stark, Henry .
429
Stephens, Daniel.
229
Stevenson, Wm ... 373
Stock, Casper 422
Stont, A. L. 532
Stout, F. M.
350
Ritter, Henry D. 250 Stover, D. Marion 165
Stribling, I. M. 418
Robison, Jas. N
172
Statsman, J. S.
325
Rogge, H. H. 404 Sutherland, H. R. 567
Rohn, Casper. 228
Rohn, J. Henry
231
Rohn, Wm.
483
T
Talkemeyer, Wm.
459
Taylor, Duncan.
192
Taylor, H. W
217
Taylor, Robt.
427
Teel, Jas. A.
185
Thomas, Peter 447
Thomas, Wm .. 571
Thompson, A. M.
301
Thompson, J. D 218
Thron, David
525
Tinney, C. M.
368
Treadway, E. N
269
Tread way, W. T.
213
Trone, Geo. W
149
Tureman, J. H.
614
Tyson, Wm. T.
266
U
Unland, John ..
284
Unland, Dr. W. G.
591
Utter, G. D.
257
V
Van Deventer, J. F 191
Van Deventer, L. J. 419
Van Deventer, T. R.
285
Ventres. Henry
347
Vette, Henry
475
W
Wagner, George.
388
Wagner, Gregory, Jr 364
Walker, C. T. 300
Walker, D. N
265
Walker, John H .. 538
Walker, J. S .. 617
Shupe, W. K. 331 Ward. Wm. W 393
Sielschott, A. H. 177 Warden, F. A. 156
Watkins, Jas. M. 224
Watts, Thos. W. 463
Smith, A. M 362 Webb, John 586
Webb, J. W 487
Weigard, Wm 503
Wetzel, John. B. 311
Whetstone, Marcus 462
Wier, Geo. H 598 Wight, Jesse .. 308
Williams, G. W 247
Williams, P. S. 420
Williams, R. E. 501
Ritchea, George. 319
Ritchey, Chas. D 546
Ritchey, F. T.
601
Ritchey, Jacob.
335
S
Sandidge, John. 299
Sands, R. E ..
604
Saunders, Mrs. C 555
Savage, Henry S 355
Scanland, S. W
261
Schaad, Andrew 275
Schaar, Theodore 460
Schaeffer, C. A. 336
Schewe, Wm .. 569
Schisler, Lewis. 515
Schroder, Samnel M.
292
Schroeder, H. J
274
Schultz, John. 468
Schuman, Adam 154
Scoggan, W. D
172
Scott, E. J ..
167
Scott, Leonidas
139
Scott, T. W.
188
Scott, T. W.
196
Seaman, J. W.
221
Seasly, Adam P.
226
Seckman, Nancy P 264
Seeley, E. H. O
184
Sewall, Wm ...
456
Shafer, Mrs. E
169
Shank, John.
147
Six, A. D. 214
Smith, D. G. 431
Smith, J. J ..
495
Spencer, J. M.
207
Spring, Ebenezer
Rink, Anton 295
Williams, T. R. 207
Wilson, B. R.
613
Wilson, D. D.
276
Wilson, Geo. W. & F. M.
619
Wilson, Jas. M.
613
Sntton, Nathar
327
Rottger, F. W 179
Rowland, B. L 564
Rowland, T. J.
510
Runkle, Darius
452
Ryan, Thos.
249
CONTENTS.
Robinson, J. F. 281
397
Redman, B. F. 200
Parsons, Norman.
223
viii
CONTENTS.
Wilson, Thos 293
Wright, S. G
492
Z
Wilson, Wm. B. 613
Winhold, F 596
Witte, Henry F 251
Young, Mrs. Almira 543
Zimmerman, Geo. W 440
Wood, Wm
489
Young, J. A.
231
Zimmerman, Jacob. 389
-
€
1
Wyatt, W. MI 408
Zahn Henry. 550
Zimmer, Lewis, Sr., 573
Zimmer, Lewis, Jr., . 597
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
9
.
GEORGE WASHING
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.
10
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 aetivc servicc 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 Bar Dadoes. They returned early in 1752, and Lawrence shortly afterward died, leav- ing h. s 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 nieee 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- inee divided into four distriets. 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 deelined by more than one officer, sinee 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 rcaehed 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 claimcd. 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 mareh 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 baek by a considerable French force, which had completed the work therc 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
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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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