t, in case of
the failure of the first. He designed to make an attack upon Mexico and
to establish an empire there. He failed. Before his standard was
raised, the government was made aware of his designs, and he was
brought to trial, at Richmond, on a charge of treason, committed within
the district of Virginia. It was not proved, however, that he had been
guilty of any overt act, within the State, and he was released. It was
probably to find employment for that restless and desperate class of
persons, with which the United States even then abounded, that the
government of America sought cause of quarrel with Great Britain, as
well as to produce that spurious activity among the industrial classes,
which is ever the result of warlike preparations.

In 1809, Mr. James Madison was elected President of the United States.
During Mr. Jefferson's administration, commercial intercourse with
France and Great Britain had been interdicted. When, however, Mr.
Madison was fairly established in the Presidency, he showed a
disposition to renew intercourse, and was seconded in his endeavours by
Mr. Erskine, then British Minister at Washington. Mr. Erskine
non-officially intimated to the American Secretary of State, that if
the President would issue a Proclamation for the renewal of intercourse
with Great Britain, that it was probable the proposal would be readily
accepted. It was done. But the British government refused to rescind
the Orders in Council of January and November 1807, so far as the
United States were concerned, which would have given the benefit of the
coasting trade of France to the Americans, recalled Mr. Erskine for
having exceeded his instructions, and sent Mr. Jackson to Washington in
his stead. A correspondence was immediately after Mr. Jackson's arrival
at the American seat of government, opened with Mr. Madison's Secretary
of State, and was as suddenly closed. Mr. Jackson was, as a
diplomatist, rather blunt. Repeatedly, he asserted that the American
Executive could not but have known from the powers exhibited by Mr.
Erskine, that in stipulating, as he had done, he had transcended those
powers, and was, therefore, acting without the authority of his
government. The American Executive deemed such an assertion equivalent
to a declaration that the American government did know that Mr. Erskine
had exceeded his instructions. Mr. Jackson denied that his language
could be so interpreted. The American Executive at once rep