d ruin with Burr. Burr was
arrested and tried, but was found not guilty. His speech in his own
defence was so eloquent, that it is said to have melted his enemies to
tears, though all believed him guilty. Burr's life was a wreck after
that. His fame was blasted, and he was placed beside Benedict Arnold as
a traitor to his country.

With the acquisition of Louisiana, there grew up a powerful opposition
to Jefferson in the North and East. The idea was disseminated that the
purchase was only a scheme to strengthen the south and the southern
democracy. Mr. Jefferson came almost to having a wholesome dose of his
doctrine of State sovereignty exemplified. A convention of Federalists
was called at Boston, in 1804, in which a proposition of secession was
made. Fortunately, however, there was too much patriotism in the body
for the proposition to carry, and the government was saved.

CHAPTER IV.

BRITISH CRUISERS.

The peace of 1783 between the United States and Great Britain had been
extorted by the necessities, rather than obtained by the good will of
England. Though, by a formal treaty, the United States were declared
free and independent, they were still hated in Great Britain as
rebellious colonies. That such was the general opinion is manifest from
the letters of John Adams, our first minister to the court of St. James,
and from other authentic contemporary accounts. Of course there were a
few men of sufficiently enlarged and comprehensive minds to forget the
past and urge, even in parliament, that the trade of America would be
more valuable as an ally than a dependent; but the number of these was
small indeed. The common sentiment in England toward the young republic
was one of scornful detestation. We were despised as provincials, we
were hated as rebels. In the permanency of our institutions there was
scarce a believer in all Britain. This was especially the case prior to
the adoption of the federal constitution. Both in parliament and out, it
was publicly boasted that the Union would soon fall to pieces, and that,
finding their inability to govern themselves, the different States
would, one by one, supplicate to be received back as colonies. This vain
and empty expectation long lingered in the popular mind, and was not
wholly eradicated until after the war of 1812.

Consequently the new republic was treated with arrogant contempt. One of
the first acts of John Adams, as minister to England, had been to
prop