ican harbors and waters against the
British navy, prohibited any intercourse with such vessels, and sent a
special minister to England to demand satisfaction. Congress was called
together, and a hundred thousand men in the different States were
ordered to hold themselves in readiness for service. The action of the
captain of the _Leander_ was disavowed, reparation offered, and the
offending admiral was recalled, but the reparation promised was never
made, and Great Britain refused to give up the right of search.

THE EMBARGO ACT.

Although the action of England was anything but satisfactory, it averted
war for the time. In December, Congress passed the Embargo Act, which
forbade all American vessels to leave the coast of the United States.
The belief was that by thus suspending commerce with England and France,
the two countries would be forced to respect our neutrality. The real
sufferers, however, were ourselves; New England and New York, whose
shipping business was ruined, denounced the act in unmeasured terms.
Thus the administration of Jefferson, which had brought so much material
prosperity to the country and was so prolific in beneficent events,
closed amid clouds and threatened disaster.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1808.

In the presidential election of 1808, the electoral vote was as follows:
James Madison, of Virginia, Republican, 122; Charles C. Pinckney, of
South Carolina, Federalist, 47; George Clinton, of New York, Republican,
6. For Vice-President, George Clinton, Republican, 113; Rufus King, of
New York, Federalist, 47; John Langdon, of New Hampshire, 9; James
Madison, 3; James Monroe, 3. Vacancy, 1. Thus Madison and Clinton became
respectively President and Vice-President.

CHAPTER IX.

ADMINISTRATIONS OF MADISON, 1809-1817.

THE WAR OF 1812.

James Madison--The Embargo and the Non-Intercourse Acts--Revival of the
Latter Against England--The _Little Belt_ and the _President_--Population
of the United States in 1810--Battle of Tippecanoe--Declaration of War
Against England--Comparative Strength of the Two Nations on the
Ocean--Unpopularity of the War in New England--Preparations Made by
the Government--Cowardly Surrender of Detroit--Presidential Election
of 1812--Admission of Louisiana and Indiana--New National Bank
Chartered--Second Attempt to Invade Canada--Battle of Queenstown
Heights--Inefficiency of the American Forces in 1812--Brilliant Work
of the Navy--The _Constitution_ and the