At the beginning of his administration, Mr. Jefferson transferred the
chief offices of the government to members of the Democratic party.
Such action was justified by the adherents of the President on the
ground that the affairs of a republic will be best administered when
the officers hold the same political sentiments. One of the first
acts of Congress was to abolish the system of internal revenues. The
unpopular "Alien" and "Sedition" laws were also repealed.
2. In the year 1800 a line was drawn through the Northwest Territory
from the mouth of the Great Miami River northward, through Fort
Recovery on the head waters of the Wabash, to Canada. Two years
afterwards the country east of this line was erected into the State of
Ohio, which, in 1803, was admitted into the Union. The portion west of
the line was organized under the name of INDIANA TERRITORY.
[Illustration: Thomas Jefferson.]
[Sidenote: =Indiana Territory.=]
3. The new region thus brought under civil government embraced a vast
area of country. It included all of the present States of Indiana,
Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and a small portion of Minnesota.
Vincennes was made the capital. The appointment of Governor and
Superintendent of Indian Affairs was conferred on General William Henry
Harrison. The work imposed upon him was very great. First appointed
by President John Adams, he was afterwards reappointed to the same
position by Presidents Jefferson and Madison. Repairing to his field of
duty, he convened the first Territorial Legislature at Vincennes, in
1805, and entered at once into negotiations with the Indian tribes.
4. During the administration of Governor Harrison, many salutary
measures were adopted with respect to the natives. The Governor sought
to prevent the sale of intoxicating liquors among them, and induced
many of the tribes to submit to inoculation, as a means of preventing
the ravages of smallpox. In September, 1809, he met a congress of the
tribes at Vincennes, and effected the purchase of about three million
acres of valuable land in the valleys of the Wabash and White rivers.
It was these progressive measures which aroused the jealousy and alarm
of the Red men, and brought on the Indian war of 1811.
[Sidenote: =The Louisiana Purchase.=]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account