USA > Minnesota > Meeker County > Album of history and biography of Meeker County, Minnesota > Part 2
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It is unnecessary here to trace the details This reply was of such a character . of the struggle upon the question of local
II
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 depnties 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 cabines. 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 1 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 cvery 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.
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 $56,000,- 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.
(){ the call again made on this illustrious
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- niał 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."
'His remains were deposited in a family vault on the banks of the Potomac at Mount Vernon, where they still lie entombed.
1.4
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
TIT
JOHN ADAMS.
OHN ADAMS, the second President of the United States, 1797 to 1801, was born in the present town of Quincy, then a portion of Braintree, Massachu- setts, October 30, 1735. His father was a farmer of mod- erate means, a worthy and industrious man. He was a deacon in the church, and was very desirous of giving his son a collegiate educa- tion, hoping that he would become a minister of the gospel. But, as up to this time, the age of fourteen, hehad been only a play-boy in the fields and forests, he had no taste for books, he chose farming. On being set to work, however, by his father .out in the field, the very first day con- verted the boy into a lover of books.
Accordingly, at the age of sixteen he entered Harvard College, and graduated in 1755, at the age of twenty, highly esteemed for integrity, energy and ability. Thus, having no capital but his education, he started out into the stormy world at a time of great political excitement, as France and England were then engaged in their great seven-years struggle for the mastery over the New World. The fire of patriotism
seized young Adams, and for a time he studied over the question whether he should take to the law, to politics or the army. He wrote a remarkable letter to a friend, making prophecies concerning the future greatness of this country which have since been more than fulfilled. For two years he taught school and studied law, wasting no odd moments, and at the early age of twenty-two years he opened a law office in his native town. His inherited powers of mind and untiring devotion to his profession caused him to rise rapidly in public esteem.
In October, 1764, Mr. Adams married Miss Abigail Smith, daughter of a clergy- man at Weymouth and a lady of rare per- sonal and intellectual endowments, who afterward contributed much to her hus- band's celebrity.
Soon the oppression of the British in America reached its climax. The Boston merchants employed an attorney by the name of James Otis to argue the legality of oppressive tax law before the Superior Court. Adams heard the argument, and afterward wrote to a friend concerning the ability displayed, as follows: "Otis was a flame of fire. With a promptitude of classical allusion, a depth of research, a rapid summary of historical events and dates, a profusion of legal authorities and a
John Adams
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JOHN ADAMS.
prophetic glance into futurity, he hurried away all before him. American independence was then and there born. Every man of an immensely crowded audience appeared to mc to go away, as I did, ready to take up arms."
Soon Mr. Adams wrote an essay to be read before the literary club of his town, upon the state of affairs, which was so able as to attract public attention. It was pub- lished in American journals, republished in England, and was pronounced by the friends of the colonists there as " one of the very best productions ever seen from North America."
The memorable Stamp Act was now issued, and Adams entered with all the ardor of his soul into political life in order to resist it. He drew up a series of reso- lutions remonstrating against the act, which were adopted at a public meeting of the citizens of Braintree, and which were sub- sequently adopted, word for word, by more than forty towns in the State. Popular commotion prevented the landing of the Stamp Act papers, and the English author- ities then closed the courts. The town of Boston therefore appointed Jeremy Grid- ley, James Otis and John Adams to argue a petition before the Governor and council for the re-opening of the courts; and while the two first mentioned attorneys based their argument upon the distress caused to the people by the measure, Adams boldly claimed that the Stamp Act was a violation both of the English Constitution and the charter of the Provinces. It is said that this was the first direct denial of the un- limited right of Parliament over the colo- nies. Soon after this the Stamp Act was repealed.
Directly Mr. Adams was employed to defend Ansell Nickerson, who had killed an Englishman in the act of impressing him (Nickerson) into the King's service, and his client was acquitted, the court thus estab-
lishing the principle that the infamous royal prerogative of impressment could have no existence in the colonial codc. But in 1770 Messrs. Adams and Josiah Quincy defended a party of British soldiers who had been arrested for murder when they had been only obeying Governmental orders ; and when reproached for thus ap- parently deserting the cause of popular liberty, Mr. Adams replied that he would a thousandfold rather live under the domina- tion of the worst of England's kings than under that of a lawless mob. Next, after serving a term as a member of the Colonial Legislature from Boston, Mr. Adams, find- ing his health affected by too great labor, retired to his native home at Braintrec.
The year 1774 soon arrived, with its fa- mous Boston "Tea Party," the first open act of rebellion. Adams was sent to the Congress at Philadelphia; and when the Attorney-General announced that Great Britain had " determined on her system, and that her power to execute it was irre- sistible," Adams replied : "I know that Great Britain has determined on her sys- tem, and that very determination deter- mines me on mine. You know that I have been constant in my opposition to her measures. The die is now cast. I have passed the Rubicon. Sink or swim, live or die, with my country, is my unalterable determination." The rumor beginning to prevail at Philadelphia that the Congress had independence in view, Adams foresaw that it was too soon to declare it openly. He advised every one to remain quiet in that respect ; and as soon as it became ap- parent that he himself was for independ- ence, he was advised to hide himself, which he did.
The next year the great Revolutionary war opened in earnest, and Mrs. Adams, residing near Boston, kept her husband ad- vised by letter of all the events transpiring in her vicinity. The battle of Bunker Hill
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PRESIDENTS OF TIIE UNITED STATES.
came on. Congress had to do something immediately. The first thing was to choose a commander-in-chief for the-we can't say " army "-the fighting men of the colonies. The New England delegation was almost unanimous in favor of appoint- ing General Ward, then at the head of the Massachusetts forces, but Mr. Adams urged the appointment of George Washington, then almost unknown outside of his own State. He was appointed without oppo- sition. Mr. Adams offered the resolution, which was adopted, annulling all the royal authority in the colonies. Having thus prepared the way, a few weeks later, viz., June 7. 1776, Richard Henry Lee, of Vir- ginia, who a few months before had declared that the British Government would aban- don its oppressive measures, now offered the memorable resolution, seconded by Adams, "that these United States are, and of right ought to be, free and independent." Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman and Livingston were then appointed a commit- tee to draught a declaration of independ- ence. Mr. Jefferson desired Mr. Adams to draw up the bold document, but the latter persuaded Mr. Jefferson to perform that responsible task. The Declaration drawn up, Mr. Adams became its foremost defender on the floor of Congress. It was signed by all the fifty-five members present, and the next day Mr. Adams wrote to his wife how great a deed was done, and how proud he was of it. Mr. Adams continued to be the leading man of Congress, and the leading advocate of American inde- pendence. Above all other Americans, he was considered by every one the prin- cipal shining mark for British vengeance. Thus circumstanced, he was appointed to the most dangerous task of crossing the ocean in winter, exposed to capture by the British, who knew of his mission, which was to visit Paris and solicit the co-opera- tion of the French. Besides, to take him-
self away from the country of which he was the most prominent defender, at that critical time, was an act of the greatest self- sacrifice. Sure enough, while crossing the sea, he had two very narrow escapes from capture ; and the transit was otherwise a stormy and eventful one. During the summer of 1779 he returned home, but was immediately dispatched back to France, to be in readiness there to negotiate terms of peace and commerce with Great Britain as soon as the latter power was ready for such business. But as Dr. Franklin was more popular than heat the court of France, Mr. Adams repaired to Holland, where he was far more successful as a diplomatist.
The treaty of peace between the United States and England was finally signed at Paris, January 21, 1783; and the re-action from so great excitement as Mr. . Adams nad so long been experiencing threw him into a dangerous fever. Before he fully re- covered he was in London, whence he was dispatched again to Amsterdam to negoti- ate another loan. Compliance with this order undermined his physical constitution for life.
In 1785 Mr. Adams was appointed envoy to the court of St. James, to meet face to face the very king who had regarded him as an arch traitor! Accordingly he re- paired thither, where he did actually meet and converse with George III .! After a residence there for about three years, he obtained permission to return to America. While in London he wrote and published an able work, in three volumes, entitled : " A Defense of the American Constitution."
The Articles of Confederation proving inefficient, as Adams had prophesied, a carefully draughted Constitution was adopted in 1789, when George Washington was elected President of the new nation, and Adams Vice-President. Congress met for a time in New York, but was removed to Philadelphia for ten years, until suitable
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JOHN ADAMS.
buildings should be erected at the new capital in the District of Columbia. Mr. Adams then moved his family to Phila- delphia. Toward the close of his term of office the French Revolution culminated, when Adams and Washington rather sympathized with England, and Jefferson with France. The Presidential election of 1796 resulted in giving Mr. Adams the first place by a small majority, and Mr. Jeffer- son the second place.
Mr. Adams's administration was consci- entious, patriotic and able. The period was a turbulent one, and even an archangel could not have reconciled the hostile par- ties. Partisanism with reference to Eng- land and France was bitter, and for four years Mr. Adams struggled through almost a constant tempest of assaults. In fact, he was not truly a popular man, and his cha- grin at not receiving a re-election was so great that he did not even remain at Phila- delphia to witness the inauguration of Mr. Jefferson, his successor. The friendly intimacy between these two men was interrupted for about thirteen years of their life. Adams finally made the first advances toward a restoration of their mutual friend- ship, which were gratefully accepted by Jefferson.
Mr. Adams was glad of his opportunity to retire to private lite, where he could rest his mind and enjoy the comforts of home. By a thousand bitter experiences he found the path of public duty a thorny one. For twenty-six years his service of the public was as arduous, self-sacrificing and devoted as ever fell to the lot of man. In one im- portant sense he was as much the "Father of his Country" as was Washington in another sense. During these long years of anxiety and toil, in which he was laying, broad and deep, the foundations of the
greatest nation the sun ever shone upon, he received from his impoverished country a meager support. The only privilege he carried with him into his retirement was that of franking his letters.
Although taking no active part in public affairs, both himself and his son, John Quincy, nobly supported the policy of Mr. Jefferson in resisting the encroachments of England, who persisted in searching American ships on the high seas and dragging from them any sailors that might be designated by any pert lieutenant as British subjects. Even for this noble sup- port Mr. Adams was maligned by thou- sands of bitter enemies ! On this occasion, for the first time since his retirement, he broke silence and drew up a very able paper, exposing the atrocity of the British pretensions.
Mr. Adams outlived nearly all his family. Though his physical frame began to give way many years before his death, his mental powers retained their strength and vigor to the last. In his ninetieth year he was gladdened by the popular elevation of his son to the Presidential office, the highest in the gift of the people. A few months more passed away and the 4th of July, 1826, arrived. The people, unaware of the near approach of the end of two great lives- that of Adams and Jefferson-were making unusual preparations for a national holiday. Mr. Adams lay upon his couch, listening to the ringing of bells, the waftures of martial music and the roar of cannon, with silent emotion. Only four days before, he had given for a public toast, " Independence forever." About two o'clock in the after- noon he said, "And Jefferson still survives." But he was mistaken by an hour or so; and in a few minutes he had breathed his last.
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PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
0
GOMAS JEFFERSON.
0
HOMAS JEFFER- son, the third Presi- dent of the United States, 1801-'9, was born April 2, 1743, · the eldest child of his parents, Peter and Jane (Randolph) Jef- ferson, ncar Charlottes- ville, Albemarle County, Virginia, upon the slopes of the Blue Ridge. When he. was fourteen years of age, his father died, leav- ing a widow and eight children. She was a beau- tiful and accomplished lady, a good letter-writer, with a fund of humor, and an admirable housekeeper. His parents belonged to the Church of England, and are said to be of Welch origin. But little is known of them, however.
Thomas was naturally of a serious turn of mind, apt to learn, and a favorite at school, his choice studies being mathemat- ics and the classics. At the age of seven- teen he entered William and Mary College, in an advanced class, and lived in rather an expensive style, consequently being much caressed by gay society. That he was not ruined, is proof of his stamina of character. But during his second year he discarded
society, his horses and even his favorite violin, and devoted thenceforward fifteen hours a day to hard study, becoming ex- traordinarily proficient in Latin and Greek authors.
On leaving college, before he was twenty- one, he commenced the study of law, and pursued it diligently until he was well qualified for practice, upon which he entered in 1767. By this time he was also versed in French, Spanish, Italian and An- glo-Saxon, and in the criticism of the fine arts. Being very polite and polished in his manners, he won the friendship of all whom he met. Though able with his pen, he was not fluent in public specch.
In 1769 he was chosen a member of the Virginia Legislature, and was the largest slave-holding member of that body. He introduced a bill empowering slave-holders to manumit their slaves, but it was rejected by an overwhelming vote.
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