ON the 30th of April, 1789, Washington was inaugurated first President of the United States. The ceremony was performed in New York City, on the site of the Custom-house, in Wall Street. Chancellor Livingston, of New York, administered the oath of office. The streets and house-tops were thronged with people; flags fluttered; cannon boomed from the Battery. Washington retired to the Senate chamber and delivered his inaugural address. Congress had already been organized.

2. The new government was embarrassed with many difficulties. By the treaty of 1783 the free navigation of the Mississippi had been guaranteed. Now the Spaniards of New Orleans hindered the passage of American ships. On the frontier the Red men were at war with the settlers. As to financial credit or income, the United States had none.

3. On the 10th of September an act was passed by Congress instituting a department of foreign affairs, a treasury department, and a department of war. Washington nominated Jefferson as Secretary of Foreign Affairs; Knox, Secretary of War; and Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury. A Supreme Court was also organized, John Jay receiving the appointment of first Chief-justice. Edmund Randolph was chosen Attorney-General. Meanwhile, the objections of North Carolina and Rhode Island were removed, and both States ratified the Constitution, the former in November of 1789, and the latter in the following May.

4. The war debt of the United States, including the revolutionary expenses of the several States, amounted to nearly eighty million dollars. Hamilton adopted a broad and honest policy. His plan proposed that the debt of the United States due to American citizens, as well as the debt of the individual States, should be assumed by the general government, and that all should be fully paid. By this measure the credit of the country was vastly improved. Hamilton's financial schemes were violently opposed by Jefferson and the anti-Federal party. In 1791 the Bank of the United States was established by an act of Congress.

5. The question of fixing the seat of government was discussed; and it was agreed to establish the capital for ten years at Philadelphia, and afterwards at some locality on the Potomac. The next measure was the organization of the territory southwest of the Ohio. On the 4th of March, 1791, Vermont, which had been an independent territory since 1777, was admitted into the Union as the fourteenth State. The census of the United States, for 1790, showed a population of three million nine hundred and twenty-nine thousand.

6. In 1790 a war broke out with the Miami Indians. These tribes went to war to recover the lands which they had ceded to the United States. In September General Harmar, with fourteen hundred men, marched from Fort Washington, on the present site of Cincinnati, to the Maumee. On the 21st of October the army was defeated, with great loss, at a ford of this stream. General Harmar retreated to Fort Washington.

7. After the defeat of Harmar, General St. Clair, with two thousand men, set out from Fort Washington to break the power of the Miamis. On the 4th of November he was attacked in the southwest angle of Mercer County, Ohio, by more than two thousand warriors. After a terrible battle, St. Clair was completely defeated, with a loss of half his men. The fugitives retreated precipitately to Fort Washington. The news of the disaster spread sorrow throughout the land. St. Clair was superseded by General Wayne, whom the people had named Mad Anthony.

8. The population of Kentucky had now reached seventy-three thousand. Seventeen years before, Daniel Boone, the hardy hunter of North Carolina, had settled at Boonesborough. Harrodsburg and Lexington were founded about the same time. During the Revolution the pioneers were constantly beset by the savages. After the expedition of General Clark, in 1779, thousands of immigrants came annually. On the 1st of June, 1792, Kentucky was admitted into the Union. At the presidential election of 1792, Washington was again unanimously chosen; as Vice-president, John Adams was reelected.

9. Washington's second administration was greatly troubled in its relations with foreign governments. Citizen Genet, who was sent by the French republic as minister to the United States, arrived at Charleston, and was greeted with great enthusiasm. Taking advantage of his popularity, he fitted out privateers to prey on the commerce of Great Britain, and planned an expedition against Louisiana. When Washington refused to enter into an alliance with France, the minister threatened to appeal to the people. But Washington stood unmoved, and demanded the minister's recall. The authorities of France heeded the demand, and Genet was superseded by M. Fouchet.

10. In 1794 the country was disturbed by a difficulty in western Pennsylvania, known as the Whiskey Insurrection. Congress had, three years previously, imposed a tax on all ardent spirits distilled in the United States. Genet and his partisans had incited the people of the distilling regions to resist the tax collectors. The disaffected rose in arms. Washington issued two proclamations, warning the insurgents to disperse; but instead of obeying, they fired upon the officers of the government. General Henry Lee, with a strong detachment of troops, then marched to the scene of the disturbance and dispersed the rioters.

11. In the fall of 1793 General Wayne entered the Indian country with a force of three thousand men. Near the scene of St. Clair's defeat he built Fort Recovery, and then pressed on to the junction of the Auglaize and the Maumee. Here he built Fort Defiance. On the 20th of August Wayne overtook the savages at the town of Waynesfield, and routed them with terrible losses. The chieftains were obliged to purchase peace by ceding to the United States all the territory east of a line drawn from Fort Recovery to the mouth of the Kentucky River. This was the last service of General Wayne. In December of 1796 he died, and was buried at Presque Isle.

12. In 1793 George III. issued instructions to British privateers to seize all neutral vessels found trading in the French West Indies. The United States had no notification of this measure, and American commerce to the value of many millions of dollars was swept from the sea. Chief-justice Jay was sent to demand redress, and in November of 1794 an honorable treaty was concluded. It was specified in the treaty that Great Britain should make reparation for the injuries done, and surrender to the United States certain Western posts which until now had been held by that country.

13. In 1795 the boundary between the United States and Louisiana was settled. Spain granted to the Americans the free navigation of the Mississippi. About this time a difficulty arose with the dey of Algiers. For many years Algerine pirates had been preying upon the commerce of civilized nations. The dey had agreed with these nations that his pirate ships should not attack their vessels if they would pay him an annual tribute. The Algerine sea-robbers were now turned loose on American commerce, and the government of the United States was also obliged to purchase safety by paying tribute.

14. In 1796 Tennessee, the third new State, was admitted into the Union. The population already numbered more than seventy thousand. The first inhabitants of Tennessee were as hardy a race of pioneers as ever braved the wilderness.

15. Washington was solicited to become a candidate for a third election; but he refused. In September of 1796 he issued to the people of the United States his Farewell Address—a document full of wisdom and patriotism. The political parties at once put forward their candidates—John Adams as the choice of the Federal, and Thomas Jefferson of the anti-Federal party. The chief question between the parties was whether it was the true policy of the United States to enter into intimate relations with France. The anti-Federalists said, Yes! The Federalists said, No! On that issue Mr. Adams was elected, but Mr. Jefferson, having the next highest number of votes, became Vice-president.