USA > Wisconsin > Clark County > Biographical history of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each, and engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 1
USA > Wisconsin > Jackson County > Biographical history of Clark and Jackson Counties, Wisconsin : containing portraits of all the presidents of the United States, with accompanying biographies of each, and engravings of prominent citizens of the counties, with personal histories of many of the early settlers and leading families > Part 1
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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
Gc 977.501 C54b 412317
PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE, & ALLEN DO. IND.
M. L.
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01076 9690
Ic. ٩٦٦٠٥٦١ 1. 52 ٢٥١٥٠١
-
BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY
1
一〇E-
Clark
Machen
1
Containing Portraits of all the Presidents of the United States, with accompanying Biographies of each, and Engravings of Prominent Citizens of the Coun- ties, with Personal Histories of many of the Early Settlers and Leading Families.
" Biography is the only true history." -- Emerson.
CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY,
1891.
OCT 1 0 1950
PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
George Washington 9
William Henry Harrison .. 56
Andrew Johnson. 93
John Adams .. . . 14
Jolin Tyler.
60
Ulysses S. Grant. 96
Thomas Jefferson 20 James K. Polk. . 64
James Madison ... 26 Zachary Taylor. 68
James Monroe. 32
Millard Fillmore 72
John Quincy Adams 38
Franklin Pierce. 76
Hndrew Jackson. 47
James Buchanan. 80
Grover Cleveland. 117
Martin Van Buren.
52
Abraham Lincoln. 81
Benjamin Harrison 120
412317
HISTORY OF CLARK AND JACKSON COUNTIES.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
Allen, I. N. 285
Beilfuss, A.
201
Callender, H. C. .287
Alton, A. C 328
Berg, Balthasar
942
Cameron, Alex. A. .248
Anderson, Gunder. 143
Bergseth, Knud S 144
Canfield, R. W. 183
Anderson, H. F .259
Bever, Peter 215
Cannon, Dennis 209
Anderson, Knud
172
Boardman, E. A. 331
Carleton, C. F. 251
Anderson, S. M
156
Bolger, John. 191
Carleton, T. V. 234
Anderson, T. A.
.345
Boon, R. M. 164
Carpenter, David. 228
Andrews, G. C ..
213
Borden, E .. 168
Castner, John
154
Archer, Levi. .295
Braatz, Richard 162
Chandler, C. L.
339
Argyle, A. S.
.290
Brackett, H. I 203
Charles, John
271
Armitage, W. K ... 262
Bradford, C. M. .312
Chase, H. S
135
Christenson, O. C.
328
Christian, C. W
135
Clark, J. B
221
Baillet, J. H. 192
Brockway, E. L
172
Clark, J. H .. 340
Clark, Marcus. 249
Colburn, J. W. 169
Ballou, Alvalı. 186
Brown, B. J.
298
Collins, Sylvester .333
Barber, J. L. 142
Brown, J. I.
353 Cooper, Frank ..
281
Barnum, I. R. 153
Bruno, Benjamin.
.308
Cornwell, O. 360
Cornell, M .. 326
Covert, James A
332
Bates, R. J.
.205
Bullard, A. J.
.373
Covey, Joseph
131
Beardsley, S. D
134
Burke, George. 253
Cnrran, H. E.
.256
Begley, T. R. 265
Burt, W. E 155
Begley, W. H. .267
Buttery, Austin. .338
Dailey, J. M.
.373
Behm, F. W.
318 Button, J. L.
286
Dankemeyer, A. F
285
Bowerman, J. 346
Caves, Wm., Jr
150
Arquette, Joseph .378
Brasier, J. F.
311
Ayer, Cullen. . .369
Braulin, M. F. 228
Breakey, G. M.
.244
Baker, Jacob. 239
Brooks, E. F.
.372
Baker, Michael. .218
Brown, A. S.
365
Barr, I. C.
191
Bryden, James. .268
Bass, A. D.
371
Büker, Frederick
304
Beachwood, George .218
Bungea, Joseph .338
Cox, John. 150
Rutherford B. Hayes. 102
James A. Garfield. 109
Chester A. Arthur 113
Andrews, Nicholas
CONTENTS.
Davis, D. R. . 255
Heaslett, Maxwell. .346
Markham, Curtis. 171
Markham, M. S. 169
Decker, H. W 183
Heath, M. V. 268
Marsh, A. B. 176
De Lane, James 339
Hendrickson, V. 162
Marsh, J. C 141
Marsh, Nelson 303
Marshall, J. P. 260
Marx, John .363
Mason, M. 29
Douglas, Robert 231
174
Homsted, Augustus .237
Downer, F
137
Horr, R. J. 194
Mattson, J. E. 287
Maynard, G. E .252
McAdam, G. 239
McCaffery, M .306
McCalvy, R.
.263
McCarty, J. A.
358
McEwen, George E .333
McGillivray, J. J 273
McGrogan, J. .363
Mc Millan, J. B .234
Ebbe, C. II. .301
Eggett, Robert 131
Huntley, Win .362
Elle, E. A
307
Huntzicker, Henry .361
Emerson, Andrew 375
Esch, S. II. 189
Farning, Frank 352
Jahn, C. F 374
Farming, John T .330
Farning, Wm. M 272
Jensen, A. F. F.
.238
Fessenden, II. J. 211
Jensen, Chris.
.260
Fike, Ira . 154
Finch, A. O. .289
Fitzmaurice, T.
354
Johnson, J. A.
302
Johnson, Lewis. 157
Miller, J. C.
.280
Flick, Mrs. M. A 270
Foote, Charles 141
Frantz, George 147
Free, Thomas 343
Free, William 158
French, B. T. 352
Kennedy, Daniel .338
Kinne, D. J. 310
Klein, P. J.
197
Klopf, J. G. .210
Krupp, C. A.
Gallaher, L. W .225
Garfield, George 374
Gates, Jane. 194
Gates, S. L 320
Gaylord, E. 289
Gergen, William 148
297
Gilbertson, I. W 319
Gilbo, John 331
Gile, R. H. 197
Glidden, W. H. H 250
Goodvin, A. L. 216
Gower, E. G. 235
Green, J. J. 336
Green, Jane. 194
Griffin, Hiram 223
Hall, Elizabeth 245
Hank, Oren. .335
Hannah, C. J 132
Hansmann, August J. 334 Hardison, D. 201
HIarlow, F. M. 360
Mair, Alex .319
Peters, Ludwig 223
Peterson, Andrew 230
Hart, G. J . .270
Mantey, Albert.
.281
Peterson, C. C.
350
Haskin, C. T.
295
Marden, Wm. H
.364
Peterson, Elias. .
267
McTaggart, D 158
Mead, Philo .330
Mead, W. HI .. .265
Means, D. B. .276
Meek, George
215
Meier, Henry
253
Meinhold, T. E.
180
Merrill, A. 1) 341
Metcalfe, D. E. 380
Miles, Charles C. 174
Miller, Emma 192
Miller, J. B. 305
Miller, J. S 217
Mills, H. B .. 145
Mills, T. B 353
Moody, J. C. .206
Moon, Ole E. .259
Moore, Stephen 185
Morrison, Wm. .347
Mortiboy, E. 152
Mosher, T. (). .204
Murray, Wm. T 229
Neff, Alburtis 335
Neff, D). A. 170
Neville, M. .325
Newland, V. B. 204
Nichols, T. H . 221
Oderbalz, Ulrich .351
O'Hearn, Oliver .329
O'Hearn, W. R 321
Oldham, Aaron 188
('Neill, James .257
Owens, S. R. .342
Palmer, Hiram .301
Parkhill, G. B. .368
Partridge, Charles .244
Patterson, Wm. .317
Pederson, Bent. 292
Perry, James 139
Perry, J. D. .351
Peters, II. C .. .216
Mack, Erastus .140
376
Lee, F. A
.363
Lee, T. Fisk 349
Lehnerd, Jo-eph 149
Leslie, George. 136
Lewis, E. J 176
Limprecht, F. A. 182
Livingstone, James 161
Lucken, J. E. . 240
Ludington, G. A.
220
Lyman, Wm. B. 291
La Bossier, H .362
La Budde, Theo. .224
La Fleur, C. P 131
Lamb, Miles
245
Lantz, P. F .258
Larson, Anthony 164
Larson, Christian 163
Larson, L. W
Joseph, S. F .336
Justice, D. .345
Kapellen, Matt 212
Keach, C. M . .196
Fricke, William 347
Fuller, M. K. 166
Fults, F. M. 272
.327
Howden, Samuel 322
Huber, Wm 318
Hubbell, H. 152
Hubble, J. W
156
Dwyer, John 165
Hugoboom, S
236
Dykins, C. W. 195
Hunke, H. S.
324
Hummel. R. S.
159
Hunter, T. P. . 163
IFutchings, S. E 139
Hyslip, C. W 344
James, A. K. .374
Jerald, H. V 226
Jerard, Wm. 307
Flanagan, Wmn. J 190
Ilosley, G. D. . 277
Drinkwine, George
Drinkwine, Lary 327
Duxbury, Joseph. 341
Dwyer, Frank. 278
177
Holden, E. M. 224
Hollenbeck, C. E 181
Mathison, Ole. 190
Mathison, Martin .231
Downer, Ilomer 310
Horswill, Wm .316
Downer, Noble. 309
Hertel, J. T 332
Dingley, A. . 179
Hilton, W. H 167
Distelhorst, F. A 240
Hjerleid, Syver 133
Douglas, Mark.
Donse, Wm
Dewey, C. W. 326
Davis, H. W . 359
Hleath, Andrew 296
Mabie, James .247
Manes, N. B. .255
Harmer, P. I 251
Gibson. Joseph ..
McNab, J. S. .262
CONTENTS.
Peterson. John E. 290
Schwamb, Jacob
342
Varnum, G. F. .317
Peterson, Ole. . 165
Schwamb, John
.875
Vaughan, A. C. .293
Peterson, Ransom 196
Schwarze, H 181
Vine, Fred J 151
Philpott. T. B 146
Seif, F. J.
249
Vine, T. R 180
Poate, W. E 150
Selden, W. B. 261
Virch, A. N 357
Polleys, A. D. 214
Pope, C. C.
283
Sheehan, P. H
266
Volz, J. F
197
Pope, Jolın. 157
Sheldon, F. J
212
Popham, G. M.
246
Short, James. .376
Poppe, C. G. . 210
Sichler, Joseph
209
Poppe, Emil.
141
Sichler, Rupert. 219
Poppe, E. R.
214
Poppe, Gustav
334
Potter, P. A.
314
Pownder, W. A
323
Pratt, G. F.
264
Pray, H. H.
178
Smith, W. H
206
Pray, John K
366
Preston, Rolla
149
Pribbernow, A
366
Price, H. H. 193
Spaulding, D. J.
.241
Price, W. T.
129, 382
Pulling, F. H.
.283
Purnell, G. W. 242
Pynn, M. K.
.226
Quackenbuslı, E. 315
Ralston, George. . 233
Raether, Augusta .171
Redden, A. E .. 137
Reineking, Wm 185
Resebnrg, Wm. 299
Richard, G. W. 258
Richeleu, Carl. .359
Richmond, James
213
Ring, L. B. . .179
Ringrose, Joseph 232
Rodman, L. W 291
Rollins, O. F .381
Root, H. M. 139
Roy; A. L. 238
Rusch, B. F. 219
Samulson, Ole 259
Sanders, John. 188
Sargent, J. H. 343
Satterlee & Tift. 350
Schafer, Wm. 246
Schafer, John 237
Schmidt, A. F 235
Schmidt, G. F. .232
Schofield, Robert. .300
Varney, C. A. L.
202
Spaulding, D. J
.241
Schroeder, Peter. .309
Taplin, Wm. W 147
Taylor, H. E. 215
Douglas, Mark 177
Thiel, Herman
.335
Finch, A. O.
289
Gallaher, L. W. 225
Livingstone, James. 161
McGillivray, J. J. 273
Miller, J. B 305
Mills, H. B. 145
Mills, T. B.
.353
O'Hearne, Oliver. 329
O'Hearne, W. R .321
O'Neill, James .257
Price, Hugh H. 193
Price, W. T .. 129
Varney, H. W.
279
Spaulding, Jacob
241
Warner, M. B 323
Warner, S. S. 225
Welch, Stephen
Welsch, Henry, Sr. :248
Welsch, Henry, Jr. .314
247
Wendt, Henry J. 208
Wilding, George, Sr
.370
Wilding, George, Jr 371
Wildish, John 142
Williams, D. H. .300
Williams, George.
369
Wiltimore, B. C. 364
Winter, F. D. .308
Winter, O. G. .254
Winters, J. M. .340
Witsic, Tony. 182
Woodworth, L. J .315
Yankee, Henry W
.269
Youmans, C. A.
.278
Sturdevant, J. R. 294
Sturdevant, L. .186
Sufficool, Annie. 202
Sullivan, John 187
Syth, James .320
Syth, John. .167
Andrews, Nicholas. 337
Cannon, Dennis. .209
Thomas, W. A 355
Thompson, T. K. .334
Tift, J. H. 350
Tompkins, Ezra. 138
Tompkins, Jones 288
Travis, C. B. .381
Tufts, W. S. 274
Verkvitz, F. W. 274
Van Gorden, C. W.
.313
.217
Smith, J. O.
.367
Snyder, A. F 198
Snyder, E. L. 199
Sparks, R. W. 356
Spaulding, Jacob .. .241
Spencer, D.
175
Steinfeldt, John .354
Stephens, S. T. .243
Sterling, J. R. .367
Sterritsky, Charles .377
Stewart, John .264
Stine, Charles .317
Stow, C. G .160
Sturdevant, Helen 277
Zassenhaus, Wm.
.348
Zetsche, Frank.
.280
Ziglinske, Jolın
178
PORTRAITS.
Wage, F. C. 134
Wagner, Wm. 200
Walters, O. F. 304
Slosser, Jolın J .180
Smith, C. A. ... .379
Smith, Edward. 261
Smith, G. F
Welsh, Albert.
Shanks, Alex .151
Vollrath, Wmn 187
Flashingder.
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 lim.
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 Bar oadocs. 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 scat 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 płace 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 lis 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 escntcheon 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.
13
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.
Of 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- 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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