of devastating hostility began on the shores of the Chesapeake, which reflected disgrace on the British arms. This predatory warfare was principally carried on by direction of admiral Cockburn, who, being so successful in plundering farm-houses, and rifling churches, began to employ his troops on a bolder scale. With the hope of obtaining possession of Norfolk, an attack was made on Craney Island, but which terminated in the defeat of the invaders. The small town of Hampton was taken by the British, and given up to violation and plunder; and during the remainder of the year, the British in the Chesapeake were chiefly employed in threatening Washington and Baltimore.

538. In the warfare on the ocean, the American frigate Chesapeake was captured by the British frigate Shannon, in consequence of the unfortunate death of her commander, and the disabled state of most of the officers; and posterity will not fail to impute rashness to Lawrence, for hastily throwing away those laurels which more coolness and his bravery might have won. In the latter part of this year, a formidable expedition was fitted out for the capture of Montreal: the object was to have been effected by the union of two divisions of infantry, one under the command of general Hampton, and the other under general Wilkinson: but in consequence of a division between the two generals, the enterprise failed; Wilkinson was recalled, and superseded in the command by general Izard. On the Niagara frontier, events occurred which retrieved the character of the American arms;-stricter discipline was introduced among our troops, and thus they were prepared to encounter the veteran soldiers of the enemy. The command was given to general Brown, who had distinguished himself at Sacket's Harbor.

539. On the 2d of July, 1813, the troops crossed, and having captured fort Erie, with its garrison, they proceeded to attack the British position at Chippewa; the respective forces being about equal in numbers. On the 5th, an obstinate and well-fought battle took place, which terminated in favor of the Americans, who carried all the British positions at the point of the bayonet, and finally converted their retreat into a disorderly flight. Another still more warmly-contested battle occurred on the 25th of the same month: the enemy, being reinforced, advanced towards the American position, and was attacked by general Scott, near the falls of Niagara : but after a considerable display of valor, the enemy was forced to retreat with great loss. The American force, however, was so much weakened,

that it fell back to fort Erie. The British advanced to lay siege to the fort, but their operations proved unsuccessful; and attempting to carry it by assault, were defeated with great loss; the Americans gaining great advantages, by making a sally on the besiegers' lines. The operations on this frontier, during the remainder of the war, were of no consequence.

540. On the northern frontier, the arms of the republic obtained a glorious triumph, in the capture of the whole British squadron, on lake Champlain ;-and a powerful military expedition, commanded by general Prevost, was repulsed in an attack on Plattsburg, and compelled to abandon its views. During this year, the British government availed itself of its powerful force to pillage and lay waste the Atlantic coast. In the month of August, a body of 4500 men landed near Washington, and took that place; but after destroying most of the public buildings, they retired without molestation. The disgrace arising from this event, was in some measure retrieved, by the defeat of the enemy in a similar attempt upon Baltimore: before which place the British general Ross was killed, while he was reconnoitring the American lines. On the ocean, the frigate President was captured by a squadron of the enemy, and the Essex by two vessels of superior force, after a most desperate engagement, and great slaughter: but the capture of the Epervier, the Avon, the Reindeer, the Cyane, the Levant, and the Penguin, proved, that in actions between vessels of equal force, the Americans were uniformly successful.

541. The military operations of the war were closed by an attack upon New-Orleans, by a well-appointed and formidable British army under general Packenham. On the 23d of December, 1814, general Jackson made an attack upon the enemy in the night, and inflicted upon them a severe loss. Being strongly reinforced, however, the invaders attacked the American intrenchments on the 28th, but met with so gallant a resistance that they were compelled to retire. On the 1st of January, the British opened a tremendous fire from their batteries upon the American intrenchments; but these were so well defended, and their artillery so admirably served, that the British guns were nearly all dismounted, and the attack decisively defeated. Again, on the 8th, the enemy made his last and most formidable assault upon the American lines, intending to carry them by escalade: in this attempt, he was utterly and irretrievably defeated, with the loss of 2600 men, and several distinguished officers, including the commander-in-chief. Ex. traordinary as the fact may appear, only thirteen Americans

fell in this sanguinary battle. The British now abandoned all hope of success in the object of the expedition: they embarked their shattered forces on board the fleet, and sailed from the fatal coast. Peace, which had been for some time in negotiation, was concluded between the ambassadors of the United States and Great Britain at Ghent, on the 24th of December, 1814; the news of which was received in the United States on the 14th of February, 1815.

542. When Louisiana was ceded to the United States by France, in 1803, it was declared by the treaty to be conveyed with the same boundaries as had pertained to it when held by Spain, and as it had when ceded by Spain to France. The terms of this cession gave rise to a claim on the part of the United States to the country west of Perdido river; and, to prevent the occupation of this territory by any other power, the government took possession of the principal places in 1811, except the town and fort of Mobile, which were surrendered the following year. EAST FLORIDA remained in possession of the Spanish authorities, until the second war between the United States and Great Britain. A British expedition having been fitted out from Pensacola, in 1814, against our southern border, general Jackson resolved to take possession of the place. Marching from Mobile, he attacked, destroyed fort Barrancas, and returned to Mobile. A similar disregard of the duties of neutrality on the part of the Spanish government, drew upon this province another invasion in 1818.

543. The SEMINOLE INDIANS, with whom the United States were at war, residing within the limits of Florida, and making incursions thence without opposition from the Spaniards, it became necessary, for the purpose of chastising them, to cross the territorial line, and subsequently possession was taken by general Jackson of fort St. Marks and Pensacola. The American troops remained at these military posts until November, 1818, when these places were restored by the government of the United States to Spain. A transfer of the whole province to the United States was afterwards agreed upon in 1819;after some unnecessary delay on the part of Spain, a treaty, to that effect, was ratified by her in October, 1820, and by the United States in February, 1821;-accordingly, possession was given in July, the same year, upon condition of the United States paying 5,000,000 dollars to her own citizens as an indemnity for spoliations made upon her commerce by Spain, during the predominance of France in the government of that country.

544. Thus have we conducted the youthful student of Ame rican History through a succession of events the most interesting to mankind that have ever taken place on the theatre of the globe; they are interesting to us, because we enjoy the most beneficial effects from apparently insignificant causes; they are interesting to the members of the European world, inasmuch as they solve a problem, which was frequently urged by the advocates of despotism, that man, when left to his own guidance, was incapable of self-government. We see how the descendants of Japheth, migrating from their original seat, "shall rule over their brethren," not by the force of arms; not by brutal violence; but by the lights of science, and the influence of a legislation, that seems to have caught a ray from Divinity, having humanity for its basis, and benevolence for its superstructure.

545. The government of the United States is a Federal Republic; formed by the union of the several states for the purpose of mutual safety and defence, under the general power of a Congress. Each state is independent, with distinct laws for itself, and has the exclusive control of all local concerns; but the defence of the country, the regulation of commerce, and all the general interests of the confederacy, are committed, by the constitution of the United States, to a general government.

546. The laws of the Union are made by a Congress, which consists of a Senate and House of Representatives, and is termed the legislative power. The laws are executed by the Secretaries of State, of War, of the Navy, and of the Treasury; and this is called the executive power. The President is chosen for four years, by delegates, elected for this purpose by the people; and equal in number for each state to the members it sends to Congress

1. George Washington, from 1789 to 1797, eight years.

2. John Adams,

3. Thomas Jefferson,

4. James Madison,

5. James Monroe,

6. John Q. Adams, 7. Andrew Jackson,

547. The Vice-President is chosen in the same manner, and for the same length of time: 1. John Adams. 2. Thomas Jefferson. 3. Aaron Burr. 4. George Clinton. 5. George Clinton. 6. Elbridge Gerry. 7. D. D. Tompkins. 8. D. D. Tompkins. 9. John C. Calhoun. 10. John C. Calhoun.

548. The Senate consists of two members from each state, chosen by the legislature thereof for six years; consequently the 24 states ought to send 48 senators. The Representatives are chosen by the people of each state, according to their population; in 1830, 40,000 inhabitants being entitled to one representative; consequently they were 208 in number.

549. The Federal Judiciary is the power which explains and applies the laws, and is independent of the legislature. It consists of a supreme court, held annually at Washington, and a district court in each state: the judges of the supreme court of the United States, and the inferior officers of government, are appointed by the President, with the approbation of the Senate. There have been five chief-justices since the organization of the government: 1. John Jay. 2. William Cushing. 3. Oliver Ellsworth. 4. John Jay. 5. John Marshall.

550. Such is the brief outline of a government which has become the admiration of civilized man.

E PLURIBUS UNUM.

ESTO PERPETUA !

H

THE END.