neral government assumed the State debts it would be
taking away the sovereign rights that had been guaranteed them, viz:
the right to do as they pleased with what was their own, and that
national legislation had nothing to do with the question. About this
time they were looking about for a site upon which to build the national
capital. Sectional spirit ran high. New England declared that _her
states would secede_ if the South succeeded in defeating assumption
and in getting the capital, too. So a compromise was effected. The
Assumption bill passed, and the south got the capital, after the seat
of government was established at Philadelphia during ten years. In this
year, too, many petitions to abolish slavery were forced upon Congress.
After a heated debate the fiat went forth that Congress could not take
action till 1808.

Next came the adding of ten amendments to the constitution, all for the
purpose of protecting State rights. Thomas Jefferson became the leader
of the Republican party, afterwards known as Democrats, and not to be
confounded with the Republican party of to-day. There was a most bitter
wrangle over the wording of the Constitution, during which even President
Washington received abuse. _Threats of breaking up the Union were heard
on all sides_.

Then there was a quarrel over the National Bank question. The first one
was established at Philadelphia in 1791, and the United States became a
stockholder. The purpose was to furnish a safe currency, and one that
would be uniform throughout the States.

In 1791 Vermont, a part of New York, was admitted, a free state.
In 1792 Kentucky, cut off from Virginia, entered as a slave state, and
in 1796 Tennessee, given up by North Carolina, came in as a slave State.
Our government was involved in trouble with other countries in regard
to territory, but this sketch has chiefly to do with our disputes as
a family.

While John Adams was President, the successor of Washington, the Alien
and Sedition Laws created a stir in the country. The Federalists gave
the President power to send out of the country all foreigners whom he
considered dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States. They
feared that these foreign citizens, by their free speech and writings
might involve us in a war with Great Britain. This was the Alien
Law. The Democrats contended that they had a right to bring over all
the foreigners they pleased and make them citizens. The Sedition Law
conde