John Adams tried in vain to negotiate a commercial treaty with Great Britain 139, 140 And could see no escape from the difficulties except in systematic reprisal 141 But any such reprisal was impracticable, for the several states imposed conflicting duties 142 Attempts to give Congress the power of regulating commerce were unsuccessful 143, 144 And the several states began to make commercial war upon one another 145 Attempts of New York to oppress New Jersey and Connecticut 146 Retaliatory measures of the two latter states 147 The quarrel between Connecticut and Pennsylvania over the possession of the valley of Wyoming 148–150 The quarrel between New York and New Hampshire over the possession of the Green Mountains 151–153 Failure of American diplomacy because European states could not tell whether they were dealing with one nation or with thirteen 154, 155 Failure of American credit; John Adams begging in Holland 156, 157 The Barbary pirates 158 American citizens kidnapped and sold into slavery 159 Lord Sheffield's outrageous pamphlet 160 Tripoli's demand for blackmail 161 Congress unable to protect American citizens 162 Financial distress after the Revolutionary War 163, 164 State of the coinage 165 Cost of the war in money 166 Robert Morris and his immense services 167 The craze for paper money 168 Agitation in the southern and middle states 169–171 Distress in New England 172 Imprisonment for debt 173 Rag-money victorious in Rhode Island; the "Know Ye" measures 174–176 Rag-money defeated in Massachusetts; the Shays insurrection 177–181 The insurrection suppressed by state troops 182 Conduct of the neighbouring states 183 The rebels pardoned 184 Timidity of Congress 185, 186 CHAPTER V. GERMS OF NATIONAL SOVEREIGNTY. Creation of a national domain beyond the Alleghanies 187, 188 Conflicting claims to the western territory 189 Claims of Massachusetts and Connecticut 189, 190 Claims of New York 190 Virginia's claims 191 Maryland's novel and beneficent suggestion 192 The several states yield their claims in favour of the United States 193, 194 Magnanimity of Virginia 195 Jefferson proposes a scheme of government for the northwestern territory 196 Names of the proposed ten states 197 Jefferson wishes to prohibit slavery in the national domain 198 North Carolina's cession of western lands 199 John Sevier and the state of Franklin 200, 201 The northwestern territory 202 Origin of the Ohio company 203 The Ordinance of 1787 204–206 Theory of folkland upon which the ordinance was based 207 Spain, hearing of the secret article in the treaty of 1783, loses her temper and threatens to shut up the Mississippi River 208, 209 Gardoqui and Jay 210 Threats of secession in Kentucky and New England 211 Washington's views on the political importance of canals between east and west 212 His far-sighted genius and self-devotion 213 Maryland confers with Virginia regarding the navigation of the Potomac 214 The Madison-Tyler motion in the Virginia legislature 215