was intended as a check on the will of the representatives, when too hasty. They are not only that, but completely on the will of the people also, and, in my opinion, are heaping coals of fire not only on their persons but on their body as a branch of the legislature. *** It seems that the opinion is fairly launched into the public that they should be placed under the control of a more frequent recurrence to the will of their constitutents. This seems requisite to complete the experiment whether they do more harm than good." Beginnings of a navy. It was in this session that the beginnings of the United States navy were made. The question was whether to fit out a squadron and send it to the Mediterranean to keep the Algerine pirates from preying on our commerce, or whether money should be appropriated to buy a peace. It was finally decided, January 2, to do both, to purchase a peace and provide a naval force. The first Committee of Ways and Means ever appointed by the House of Representatives, was appointed to consider the ways and means for supporting the naval force which they might recommend as desirable. Such questions had before this been referred to the Secretary of the Treasury. This committee recommended the building of four frigates. The bill as passed provided for six. But the opposition succeeded in adding a clause to the effect that proceedings should be suspended in case of a peace with Algiers, for the purpose of which a million dollars were appropriated. The grounds of the Republican opposition to the creation of a naval force were clearly stated by William Branch Giles, of Virginia. The policy of creating a navy "involved a complete derelic- position to it. tion of the policy of discharging the prin Republican op cipal of the public debt." "To increase her navy and decrease her debt" "exceeded the ability of any nation." "It was the most expensive of all the means of defense, and the tyranny of governments consists of the expensiveness of their machinery." "The system of governing by debts he conceived, the most refined system of tyranny." "There is no device which facilitates the system of expense and debts so much as a navy,and he declared that he should value his liberty at a lower price than he now did if this policy should obtain." This was orthodox Republican doctrine; whether it was in harmony with the best interests of the country, the history of the war of 1812 will show. Foreign enlist Perhaps the most important act of this session was the neutrality or foreign enlistment act, which was passed June 5, 1794, to furnish a ment act. basis upon which the judiciary could act in preventing the citizens of the United States from violating neutrality. It is gratifying to American pride to know, that though it was the first act of the kind that was ever passed, it has since been imitated in the legislation of most European States. QUESTIONS. 1. Describe the colonial systems of Europe one hundred years ago. 2. What effect did the independence of the United States have upon their commercial relations with England? 1793? 3. What were the difficulties between the two countries in 4. What did Russia and England agree to do in a treaty made in 1793? 5. What was the English provision order? 6. What would submission to it have been equivalent to? engaged in war with England? 8. What was the rule of the war of 1756? 9. Was it just from the European point of view? 10. What order in council did England issue in November, 1793 ? 11. What was the Republican substitute for war? 13. What did Jefferson recommend in his report on commerce? 14. What were Madison's resolutions? 15. What were the noteworthy features in the debate upon them? 16. For what purpose did the Federalists recommend a navy? 17. Why did the Republicans oppose it? 18. What was the foreign enlistment act? CHAPTER XIII. JAY'S TREATY. Objects of Jay's HE PRECEDING chapter has told of the injuries inflicted upon the United States by England in detaining ships laden with provisions for France, and in enforcing the rule of the war of 1756. In addition to these, the United States justly mission. complained of the British doctrine of blockade, which England had been enforcing against this country since the outbreak of the war with France. The same day the famous provision order was issued (June 8, 1793), English ships of war and privateers were commanded to capture a ship anywhere on the high seas whose papers showed that she was on the way to a port declared to be blockaded, provided the declaration of the blockade was known in the country from which she sailed before the time of her departure. To obtain redress for these grievances, to prevent their recurrence in the future, to adjust the points of difference growing out of the treaty of peace, were the primary objects of Jay's mission. If he was successful in these, he was to endeavor to negotiate a commercial treaty, but no treaty was to be made which was not consistent with our obligations to France. He reached England in June, 1794, and succeeded in negotiating a treaty in November. Of the various American claims, the treaty satisfied but The treaty. one. The Northwestern posts were to be surrendered on or before June 1, 1796, but no compensation was to be made for their previous detention. Three commissions were provided for: one, to settle the Northeast boundary; another, to fix the amount of debts due to British citizens which the obstruction of justice had made it impossible to collect, and which were to be paid by the United States; a third, to determine the amount due from Great Britian to citizens of the United States, for illegal captures and confiscations. But Jay was unable to induce Lord Grenville, the English negotiator, to agree that provisions should in no case be regarded as contraband of war. On the contrary, the treaty clearly implied that provisions might in some cases be contraband, but provided that when they were taken as such they should be paid for. Nor was he able to secure an abandonment of the rule of the war of 1756, or of the so-called right of impressment. It must be acknowledged that there were serious difficulties in the way of yielding the right to impress British sailors when they were found on board of American ships. England owed her greatness to her supremacy on the sea. But if British sailors could evade the duty of serving on British vessels of war by engaging in American vessels, Impressment, |