School History of North Carolina Part 29

10. Who was sent against the Indians? What great general was in command of all this force?

11. What was the success of General Jackson's expedition?

12. What is said of the end of the war of 1812?

CHAPTER XLIV.

AFTER THE STORM.

A. D. 1815 TO 1821.

When hostilities ceased it seemed a great thing to the people of North Carolina once more to enjoy the full benefits of trade and commerce. British cruisers had made all foreign commodities very scarce and costly. Salt had been made on the seacoast in limited quant.i.ties, but of inferior quality. It was, therefore, gratifying to the people to see the stores again filled with goods of every description.

2. When this period of its history had been reached, the State was divided into sixty-two counties. Each of these sent annually to the General a.s.sembly one Senator and two members of the House of Commons. Edenton, New Bern, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Hillsboro, Halifax and Salisbury were called "borough towns"; and, by virtue of this superior dignity, each sent, in addition to the county members, a representative to the lower House of a.s.sembly.

3. The Moravian settlement at Salem had prospered, and though no great numbers of that sect had come over from Europe, yet much wisdom and thrift were seen in the affairs of Wachovia. A female seminary of real excellence and great popularity had been founded in 1804, and young ladies from all the Southern States were receiving a good education in this retired and healthful region.

4. Raleigh then contained about eight hundred people: Fayetteville twice as many. Wilmington and New Bern were the largest and most important towns in the State, but were still limited in population and trade. Edenton and Halifax had each lost importance, and many villages were surpa.s.sing them both in number of inhabitants and in extent of trade.

1819.

5. Dr. Joseph Caldwell had been, for many years, President of the University. He came from New Jersey to make North Carolina his future home, and gave the State of his adoption so laborious and useful a devotion that his name will be cherished in its limits so long as learning and patriotism are valued He was not only making the college famous for the excellence of its appointments, but internal improvement was advocated by him so intelligently and zealously that the general apathy on the two great subjects of education and intercommunication was pa.s.sing away.

6. The churches were likewise providing for increased effect among the people. The Methodist conference was each year adding to the number of its churches and itinerant preachers. The Baptists had added the "Chowan" as a coadjutor to similar bodies known as "Sandy Creek" and "Kehukee" a.s.sociations.

7. The Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina, in 1816, perfected its organization by the election and consecration of Bishop John Stark Ravenscroft. He was a man of strong character and eminent piety and usefulness. As a preacher, he was held in equal reverence with another distinguished divine of that day, the Rev.

John Kerr, of Caswell, a leader among the Baptists.

[NOTE--In 1827, Dr. Caldwell delivered an exceedingly able address before the Legislature, on the subject of railways, and a considerable interest was awakened. The first railway in the United States was built in 1826. This was in Ma.s.sachusetts, and was only two miles long. It was known as the "Quincey Railroad."

The first pa.s.senger railway was the Baltimore and Ohio road, fifteen miles long, and was regularly opened in 1830. The cars were drawn by horses until the next year, when a locomotive was used.]

8. The Presbyterian Synod also contained many able and excellent ministers. Rev. Drs. Samuel E. McCorkle, David Caldwell and James Hall were greatly esteemed for their learning; and devotion. This church was specially active and efficient in refuting the teachings of the French atheists.

9. William Gaston and Bartlett Yancey were leaders among the statesmen of North Carolina at this period. They were both greatly distinguished for eloquence and ability. For purity of character they had not been surpa.s.sed in all our annals. Another James Iredell had arisen in Chowan county, and in Craven were John Stanly and young George E. Badger. In Caswell appeared Romulus M. Saunders, another young lawyer of fine abilities, who became a distinguished citizen of the State.

10. The establishment of the Supreme Court, in 1818, on its present basis, was largely the work of Bartlett Yancey. John Louis Taylor, the Chief-Justice, with Leonard Henderson and John Hall, as a.s.sociates, const.i.tuted a tribunal which was soon to win the veneration of American lawyers.

1820.

11. This has been called the era of "Good Feeling" in American politics. But the question of slavery in the Territories was fast a.s.suming a dangerous importance.

12. The Northern States objected to the admission of any more slave States. The Southern would consent to no such prohibition.

The storm grew louder, until it was temporarily settled by the "Missouri Compromise" of March 3d, 1820, which provided that henceforward slavery should be forever forbidden north of the parallel of 36 60' The news of which, however, Mr. Jefferson declared fell on his ears "like a fire-bell at night."

QUESTIONS.

1. What was the condition of North Carolina after the war of 1812?

2. How many counties were in North Carolina in 1815? What is said of the representation in the General a.s.sembly? What towns had special privileges?

3. Give some account of the growth of the Moravian settlement at Salem.

4. Give some description of various towns and villages.

5. What efforts was Dr. Joseph Caldwell putting forth for the advancement of the State?

6. What growth was seen among the Methodist churches?

7. Who was at the head of the Episcopal Church? What is said of Bishop Ravenscroft?

8. Who were the most eminent Presbyterian divines? What benefit was derived from their labors?

9. Mention the political leaders.

10. Through whose efforts was the Supreme Court established? Who were the Justices?

11. What was this period called?

12. What question was greatly agitating the people?

CHAPTER XLV.

THE WHIGS AND THE DEMOCRATS.

A. D. 1821 TO 1827.

1821.

In the decade following the enactment of the Missouri Compromise there was prodigious material growth in every section of the American Union. In North Carolina the real prosperity of the people was imperceptible, by reason of the heavy emigration to the South and West. Not only population, but wealth, was continually withdrawing to more profitable fields of labor and speculation.

2. While the Northern and Western sections of the Union were receiving the thousands who came every year from Europe and elsewhere, there was no such accession to our numbers. For a century past there has been little or no immigration to North Carolina. The stream of settlers that once poured so steadily into the hill country had ceased even before the Revolution.

3. After the overthrow of the Federalists by Mr. Jefferson, in the year 1800, there was no national party struggle on the old issues, but in every portion of the country were individuals who adhered to the views of Alexander Hamilton as to the proper construction of the Const.i.tution of the United States. Many of these were men of great social and professional eminence.

4. Under Mr. Madison and his successors there was, in fact, no party but the Democratic-Republicans. Every one who hoped for political promotion professed the faith of that organization.

There was no party division as to the Bank or the United States, or the tariff of duties on foreign imports.

5. In the year 1825 the State was graced by the visit of General La Fayette. A half century before he had left his wife and all the charms of life in Paris to do battle in behalf of the struggling American colonies. After acting a distinguished part in the French Revolution, he had returned as the Nation's guest, to receive the thanks of another generation for the great services he had rendered in the past. He went from State to State, every where greeted with the utmost love and veneration.

He soon returned to France in the United States s.h.i.+p Brandywine, after receiving princely recognition and rewards from Congress.

6. In this year, also, a considerable excitement was created on account of an extraordinary advance in the price of cotton. In a few weeks the price went from twelve to thirty-two cents per pound. This great rise was only temporary, and many people were ruined by the sudden and unexpected fall.

7. In 1825 the election of John Quincy Adams, by The House of Representatives, to the Presidency, resulted in giving a new aspect to political matters. General Andrew Jackson, who had received the largest popular vote, and was then a Senator from Tennessee, became the leader of those who were called "Democrats." Those who were opposed to him a.s.sumed the name of "Whigs."