Every nation, every country, and every town has historic trees. They are not without influence on the destiny of individuals, societies, and nations. They are objects of reverence—works of time—homes of generations—and the manifest wisdom of creation. In the tree is beheld in perfection an enduring living principle, exceeding all other forms of life—beginning in the morning of creation and ending only with the end of time. When moth and rust have corroded memorial in bronze, and years of the unseen future have crumbled the granite to dust, there will still be standing noble, historic trees, with all their lessons fresh and green.
CHAPTER V.
OHIO—HER COACH, CANAL, AND STEAMBOAT ERA.
At the close of the Revolution, a majority of the people cheerfully trusted to the wisdom and integrity of those who led the way to a country and conditions on which to found a republic. The patriots who unfurled the Declaration of Independence were glorified in the name of “United States of America.” And with thirteen stars, the red, white, and blue came forth a government strong and vigorous, honored and respected, amidst an epidemic of European wars. In the formation of the republican government, so few precedents were at hand that could be used as guides to the organization, the work was rendered herculean in character. But with General Washington, John Adams, Jonathan Dayton, Alexander Hamilton, and other patriotic Federalists, at the head, the people had no fears for the accepted Constitution. Still, the first President and his advisers were not blind to the dangers that surrounded the new republic. The First Congress (1789-90) assembled with but a small and uncertain majority favorable to the Constitution as adopted; and the combination of disaffected and opposing elements wore loud in their denunciations of the President and “that instrument;” and it required great wisdom, moderation, and concession to obtain the necessary contemplated amendments[23] and acts of Congress necessary to carry on and regulate the working operations of the several departments of the new government.
The citizens of the South, and those of the North were equally jealous of their interests. New England demanded a protective tariff, and the South “free-trade.” That which suited one locality was the policy not desired in another. Consequently, some states felt they were treated unfairly in this, and others in that, and a Congress failing to legislate special benefits to all found denunciations common with a disregard for law and order, occasionally amounting to open rebellion.[24]
At the very commencement of President Washington’s second term, things became stormy and taxed the wisdom of the man who had crowned a successful revolution, to manipulate the new machinery of a complex government into satisfactory running order. The cabinet and both branches of the legislative department were pretty evenly divided on the distracting questions of the times. France and England were at war—the French Republic expected reciprocal help from the United States. The Secretary of State (Mr. Jefferson) and Mr. Randolph, Attorney-General, contrary to the views of the President, espoused the cause of France, and were suspected of aiding Genet, the French minister, in issuing commissions to vessels of war to sail from American ports and cruise against the enemies of France.
Notwithstanding this, and the violent opposition of both houses of Congress, the President remained firm, that the people of the United States, under the circumstances, should not become involved in a war with Great Britain, and issued his neutrality proclamation, had the French minister recalled and accepted the resignation of the Secretary of State. Congress, however, persisted in doing all it could to strengthen the opposition to the President and bring on a war with England. When foiled in this, attempted by resolution to adopt the substance of Mr. Jefferson’s final report—“to cut off all intercourse with Great Britain, and as good republicans or democrats, either wear the ‘national cockade’ as evidence of opposition to neutrality and friendship for France.”
The resolution passed the House but was defeated in the Senate, by the casting vote of Vice-President John Adams, and saved the nation from disgrace. The common people had been partially persuaded by the doctrines of Jefferson that federalism meant the establishment of a limited monarchy, and want of confidence in the people. This was giving the position of Washington and his followers a coloring much below their patriotic conceptions. They held a government of laws must have principle of energy and coercion; and it was the concentration of this energy in a federal government which the convention gave, and which, to carryout into perfection, induced the Washington policy.
Had it been otherwise, had Mr. Jefferson’s ideas of government been placed in his own hands for organization, with his unlimited confidence in the virtue of the people, and their capacity for self government in the final experiment, the Constitution would have crumbled to pieces in his own hands. At the end of eight years of Washington’s administration, 1797, the nation was at peace at home and abroad—all disputes had been settled amicably excepting that of France—the credit of the government was never better—ample provision had been made for the payment of the public debt—“commerce had experienced unexampled prosperity—American tonnage had nearly doubled—the products of agriculture had found a ready market—the exports had increased from nineteen millions to more than fifty-six million dollars—and the amount of revenues from imports exceeded the most sanguine expectations, and the prosperity of the country was unparalleled, notwithstanding great losses from belligerent depredations.” How different the story when Mr. Jefferson turned the high office over to Mr. Madison, March 4, 1809, as given in the report of a committee of the legislature of Massachusetts, January previous to the close of Mr. Jefferson’s administration.