do, and so we went on
alone. But I have no doubt that his report to his government of this
sounding, which he probably represented as an overture, had a great
share in producing the explicit declarations of the
President."--_Canning to the British Minister at Madrid._

Progress.

CHAPTER XXIX.

The United States Taking the Lead in Civilization--Manhood Suffrage and
Freedom of Worship--Humane Criminal Laws--Progress the Genius of the
Nation--A Patriotic Report--State Builders in the Northwest--Illinois and
the Union--Immigration--British Jealousy--An English Farmer's Opinion of
America--Commerce and Manufactures--England Tries to Prevent Skilled
Artisans from Emigrating--The Beginning of Protection--The British Turn
on Their Friends the Algerians--General Jackson Invades Florida--Spain
Sells Florida to the United States.

While holding their own against foreign enemies on land and sea the
United States were assuming the lead in the march of civilization.
Manhood suffrage was gradually taking the place of property suffrage,
liberty of worship was recognized in practice as well as theory, and the
criminal laws showed a growing spirit of humanity. Capital crimes were
few, as compared with Great Britain. "The severity of our criminal laws,"
wrote William Bradford, the distinguished jurist, and for some time
Attorney-General of the United States, "is an exotic plant, and not the
growth of Pennsylvania." And Pennsylvania, when left to her own
influences and tendencies by the success of the Revolution, was not slow
to adopt humane and gratifying reforms, uttering far in advance of some
other commonwealths the declaration that "to deter more effectually from
the commission of crimes by continued visible punishment of long
duration, and to make sanguinary punishments less necessary, houses ought
to be provided for punishing by hard labor those who shall be convicted
of crimes not capital." In September, 1786, the laws of that State were
amended so as to substitute imprisonment at hard labor for capital
punishment for robbery, burglary, and one other crime, and it was
provided that no attainder should work corruption of blood in any case,
and that the estates of persons committing suicide should descend to
their natural heirs. It was likewise enacted that "every person convicted
of bigamy, or of being accessory after the fact in any felony, or of
receiving stolen goods, knowing them to hav