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Surrender of Cornwallis.

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foiled by De Grasse. Cornwallis, attacked by sea and land, was therefore compelled to surrender his whole army prisoners of war. (Oct. 19.)

90. "At about twelve o'clock, he combined army was drawn up in two lines, more than a mile in length-the Americans on the right side of the road, the French on the left. Washington, mounted on a noble steed and attended by his staff, was in front of the former; the Count de Rochambeau and his suite were in Cornwallis. front of the latter. The French troops, in complete uniform and well equipped, made a brilliant appearance, and had

Surrender of

marched to the ground with a band of music playing, which was a novelty in the American service. The concourse of spectators from the country seemed equal in number to the military, yet silence and order prevailed. In passing through the line formed by the allied troops, the march of the British

The patriots who had the misfortune to become prisoners of war during the long struggle for freedom, were treated with every possible insult and outrage. Many of them were confined in loathsome dungeons on prison-ships, where they received such inhuman treatment that thousands died. Of these floating hulks, the most noted was the Jersey, which was anchored in a small bay off the Long Island shore, opposite the city of New York, and used as a prison-ship until the close of the war

troops was careless and irregular, and their aspect sullen. The order o'ground arms' was given by their officers with a tone of deep chagrin, and many of the soldiers threw down their muskets with a violence sufficient to break them."

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91. The surrender of Cornwallis was a death-blow to the hope that England would ever regain her colonies. When the prime minister, Lord North, heard of it, he acted as if a ball had entered his breast." He threw up his Result of the arms, and walked wildly up and down the room, surrender. exclaiming from time to time: "It is all over! It is all over!" Public opinion in England demanded peace, but stubborn King George would not yield at once. The clamor out-of-doors against the war increasing, a new ministry was formed; and a treaty was made at Paris (Sept. 3, 1783), by which Great Britain acknowledged the independence of the United States, agreed to the great lakes on the north and the Mississippi as boundaries, and conceded the right to fish on the banks of Newfoundland.

92. At the close of the war the people, although they had gained their independence, had a great many troubles to contend with. There was no money, for all had been spent in the war. There was very little wealth in the

Condition of the

country, for its commerce had been ruined, its country. agriculture and manufactures very much neglected, and a great deal of its property destroyed. Its currency had been so reduced in value as to be almost worthless. Congress had no means to pay the army, and the troops, not realizing the difficulties, became dissatisfied, considering themselves treated with injustice and ingratitude. Some of the officers were so indignant that they were ready to enter into a secret combination to make Washington king, thinking that thus they could acquire a recompense for their toils and sufferings. When, however, they made the proposal to him, he rejected it with indignation, and rebuked them for their selfishness and want of patriotism.

93. On the 25th of November, 1783, "Evacuation Day."

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Washington Resigns his Command. 177

the British army left New York, while Washington, and Governor Clinton at the head of a body of soldiers and citizens, marched into the city and took possession. A scene of public festivity and rejoicing followed, closing, in the evening, with a grand display of fireworks.

Washington's farewell to his officers.

94. In the course of a few days Washington prepared to depart for Annapolis, to resign his command to Congress. On the eve of his departure from New York, "the principal offi cers were assembled, when their beloved commandrentered the room. His emotions were too strong to be concealed. Turning to them he said, 'With a heart full of love and gratitude I now take leave of you. I most devoutly wish that your latter days may be as prosperous and happy as your former ones have been glorious and honorable;' adding, 'I cannot come to each of you to take my leave, but shall be obliged if each of you will come and take me by the hand.' General Knox, being nearest turned to him. Washington, incapable of utterance, grasped his hand and embraced him. In the same affectionate manner he took leave of each succeeding officer. The tear of manly sensibility was in every eye; and not a word was spoken to interrupt the dignified silence and the tenderness of the scene. Leaving the room, he passed through the corps of light infantry, and walked to White Hall ferry, where a barge was in waiting to convey him across the river. The whole company followed in mute procession, with dejected countenances, testifying feelings of delicious melancholy which no language can describe."

Resigns

95. Everywhere as he rode through New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland, Washington was greeted with joy and enthusiasm by the people. At Annapolis, in the presence of the members of Congress and of a large assemblage of ladies and civil and military officers, he resigned to Congress the trust that had been committed to him as commander-in-chief. His modest and dignified address delivered while doing so, and the reply which

his

command.

it called forth from the president of Congress, made a very deep impression upon all. "Few tragedies ever drew so many tears from so many eyes. The very next morning Washington left Annapolis, and hastened to his beloved Mount Vernon, where he arrived the same day, on Christmas Eve, in a frame of mind suited to enjoy the sacred and genial festival." 96. The States had been held together by a compact known as the Articles of Confederation; but it was soon discovered that these articles gave too little power to the general government to enable it to pay the debts incurred during

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Adoption of the the war. Congress could not levy taxes: it could Constitution. only call upon the States to raise money. This the States were backward in doing, either because the people were too poor to pay taxes, or from jealousy of Congress. In Massachusetts two thousand men, under a leader named Daniel Shays, rose in arms to demand that the collection of taxes should be suspended, but the rebellion was suppressed without bloodshed (1787).

97. It was seen that a stronger government was necessary, or the tie which bound the thirteen States would be severed. Accordingly, a convention, to revise the Articles of Confederation, met in Philadelphia, in May, 1787. Among the wise men who composed this memorable council were Washington, who was elected its president; Dr. Franklin, now more than eighty years of age; and Alexander Hamilton, who had taken an active part in the Revolutionary struggle. After about four months' deliberation, the Articles being set aside, a constitution was framed, and sent forth to receive the assent of the individual States. Though it met with considerable opposition, it was finally adopted.

98. "Neither the intrinsic merits of the Constitution, nor

As early as 1776 a form of government for the thirteen States was proposed, consisting of twenty articles, known as the Articles of Confederation; but these were not adopted by Congress till the next year, nor did they go into effect before the 1st of March, 1781. The cause

of the delay was in the tardiness of the States to ratify the articles. Delaware did not do it till 1779 and Maryland, the last, till 1781.

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The First Political Parties.

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the imposing weight of character by which it was supported, gave assurance to its friends that it would be ultimately adopted" by the States. As before stated, a great The many persons were opposed to it, and exerted their Federalist. influence to have it rejected. "Under these circumstances, Hamilton and Jay conceived the plan of publishing, through the newspaper press of New York city, a series of essays, for the purpose of explaining and defending the Constitution; and they invited Mr. Madison-whose peculiar qualifications for the task both of them knew-to co-operate with them in the work. In the commencement, these articles were addressed to the people of New York, under the signature of 'A Citizen' of that State; but the general interest and importance of the subject soon induced the writers to address their reflections to the people of the United States; and, after the association of Madison in the work, the signature of A Citizen of New York' was exchanged for that of • Publius.' Such was the origin of a series of papers which, collected and published under the title of the Federalist, nave come to be recognized as one of the political classics of the age and language in which they were written, and will endure, possibly, even longer than the Constitution which they were intended to elucidate and defend.'

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99. "Before the Constitution was adopted by the several States, the country became divided into two political parties -the friends and the enemies of that Constitution. The former, being in favor of the establishment of a federal government, according to the plan marked out in the Constitution, naturally took the name of Federalists. Those who were opposed to the Constitution and the form of government which it contained, as naturally took the first political parties. name of Anti-federalists. Under these titles, when the Constitution had been adopted, and was about to commence its operations, these parties took the field, and arrayed themselves, both in Congress and the country, under their several banners." (See Appendix, p. 5.)

The