The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-11-18

mountains, also, had they been
empty and unclaimed. like
the vast territory that lay
belond the Ohio. But for many year
settlers had been crossing the noun
tains into those fertile valleys. and
both this region and that which vir-
ginia still kept showed many clear
ing now and many rude hamlet
where hardy frontiersmen were max
ing new home for civilization.
Rather than be handed over to con-
gress, to be disposed of by an author
ity which no one else was bound 10
tiers declared they would form a
state Of their own, and North Carolina
had to recall her gift of their lands to
the confederation before their plans
of defiance could be checked and de-
feated.
Virginia found her own frontiers
men no less ready to take the initia-
tive in whatever affair touched their
interest.
Spain Closes Lower Mississippi.
Spain offered the United States
trade at her ports, but refused to
grant them the use of the lower
courses of the Mississippi, lest terri
torial aggression should be pushed too
shrewdly in that quarter; and news
reached the settlers beyond the noun
tains, in the far counties Of North
Carolina and Virginia, that Mr.. Jay,
the Confederation secretary for for
eign affairs, had proposed to the
congress to yield the navigation of the
Mississippi for a generation in ex-
change for trade On the seas. They
fatty declared they would give them
selves, and their lards TOO, into the
hands Of England again rather than
submit to be so robbed. cramped and
deserted.
The New England states, on their
part, threatened to withdraw from the
Confederation if treaties were to be
made to wait upon the assent of
frontiersmen on the far Mississippi.
The situation was full of menace of
no ordinary sort
1t could profit the Confederation lit
tie that great states like Virginia and
New York had grown magnanimous.
and were endowing the Confederation
with vast gifts of territory in the west
if such gifts were but to loosen still
further the already slackened bonds Of
the common government, leaving set.
tiers in the unclaimed lands no allie
glance they could respect.
Without national government spir-
k1I
cies and commend obedience, I'VE
shall never establish a national char
acter or be considered as on respect.
able footing by the powers of Europe"
Washington had said from the first
Washington Urges Union.
He had made a most solemn appeal
to the states in his last circular to
them, ere he resigned his commission,
urging them to strengthen the powers
of congress, put faction and jealousy
away. and make sure of IAN indis-
soluble union under one federal head"
IAN option is still left to the United
States of America" he had told them
with all his plain and stately clio
quence; lit is in their choice, and de-
ponds upon their conduct, whether
they will be respectable. and prosper
Gus, or contemplate and miserable,
as nation. This is the time of their
political probation"
he hazards of that probation had
been burden upon his heart through
all the toll of the Revolution, and now
1t seemed as If the states must needs
make every evil choice in meeting
them. Congress could not so much as
carry out the provisions OF the treaty
of peace, for its commissioners had
made promises in the name of the
states which the states would not re-
deem.
England Breaks Her Agreement.
England consequently refused to
keep her part of the agreement and
relinQuish the western posts. She
levied commercial war against the
country, besides, without fear of re-
prisal; for congress had no power to
regulate trade, and the states were too
jealous of each other to cooperate
in this or any other matter.
English statesmen had consented to
give up the colonies, and recognize
their independence as a nation, rather
than face any longer the world in
arms. but they now looked to see
them presently drop back into their
hands again, out of sheer helplessness
and hopeless division In counsel; and
| there were observant men in America
who deemed the thing possible, though
it brought an intolerable fire into
their blood to think of it.
In Financial Straits.
Other nations. too, were fast con-
ceiving like contempt for the. Con-
| federation.
1t was making no provision for the
payment of the vast sums of money it
had borrowed abroad. In France and
Holland and Spain; and it could not
make any. It could only ask the
states for money, and must count it.
self fortunate to get enough to pay
even the interest on it's debts.
1t was this that foreign courts were
finding out, that the Confederation was
mere government of supplication, "