preme Court of the United States. By his sagacity, his dignity, his
knowledge of men, and love of order and uprightness, he gave it that high
place which it yet holds, and which it must hold; for when the decisions
of the Supreme Court are questioned by a State or people, the fabric of
our government is but a spider's web through which anarchy and unreason
will stalk.

In Seventeen Hundred Ninety-four, came serious complications with Great
Britain, growing out of the construction of terms of peace made in Paris
eleven years before.

Some one must go to Great Britain and make a new treaty in order to
preserve our honor and save us from another war.

Franklin was dead; Adams as Vice-President could not be spared; Hamilton's
fiery temper was dangerous--no one could accomplish the delicate mission
so well as Jay.

Jay, self-centered and calm, said little; but in compliance with
Washington's wish resigned his office, and set sail with full powers to
use his own judgment in everything, and the assurance that any treaty he
made would be ratified.

Arriving in England, he at once opened negotiations with Lord Grenville,
and in five months the new treaty was signed.

It provided for the payment to American citizens for losses of private
shipping during the war; and over ten million dollars were paid to
citizens of the United States under this agreement.

It fixed the boundary-line between the State of Maine and Canada; provided
for the surrender of British posts in the Far West; that neither nation
was to allow enlistments within its territory by a third nation at war
with another; arranged for the surrender of fugitives charged with murder
or forgery; and made definite terms as to various minor, but none the less
important, questions.

A storm of opposition greeted the treaty when its terms were made known in
America. Jay was accused of bartering away the rights of America, and
indignation meetings were held, because Jay had not insisted on apologies,
and set sums of indemnity on this, that and the other.

Nevertheless, Washington ratified the treaty; and when Jay arrived in
America there was a greeting fully as cordial and generous as that on the
occasion of his other homecoming.

In fact, while he was absent, his friends had put him in nomination as
Governor of New York. His election to that office occurred just two days
before he arrived, and when he landed his senses were mystified by hearing
loud hurrahs for "G