lands of the United States. His_agent located one thousand acres adjoining the city of New Orleans, and Congress afterwards, not being informed of that circumstance, granted the same ground to that city. His location was valid, and he was so informed; but he refused to adhere to it, saying that he would have no contest with any portion of the American people. Lafayette made an extensive tour through the Southern and Western States, and on the 15th of June he, on his return, reached Boston. On the 17th he assisted at the ceremonies attendant upon laying the corner-stone of Bunker Hill monument, and then visited the principal places in New England. On the 8th of September he bade adieu to the shores of America, and started on his return voyage to France.

A treaty was concluded with the Creek Indians, by which they agreed to accept lands westward of the Mississippi, in exchange for an equal number of acres in the State of Georgia to which they claimed the title. They also agreed to remove from Georgia to the new territory assigned to them. Treaties were also made with the Osages and Kansas tribes, by which they ceded vast territories to the United States.

The first newspaper for Sunday sale and circulation in the city of New York was issued, under the name of The Sunday Courier, early in the year, but was soon discontinued for want of patronage.

The Erie Canal was completed its entire length in October, and early in November the event was celebrated with great enthusiasm. On the 26th of October, the Erie Champlain and Hudson Canal was completed.

The Italian Opera was introduced into the United States, the first performance of which came off at the Park Theatre, in New York, on the 29th of November.

The homœopathic practice of medicine was first introduced into this country, by a physician who removed to the city of New York from Copenhagen, Denmark, where he had practised that system.

The manufacture of Queensware, the first of its kind in the United States, was commenced at Philadelphia.

The tinder-box, flint and steel, which up to this time were the usual means by which fire was struck, were now being superseded by a new and better invention, consisting of a bottle filled with an acid and cotton surmounted with phosphorized pinesticks.

By a report of the Comptroller of the State of New York, it appears that nearly ninety thousand dollars were paid out of the treasury during the preceding ten years for the destruction of wolves in that State.

An article appeared in a newspaper published in New York in October which stated that a lot on the Bowery two hundred feet in front and the same depth had been sold for one hundred and five thousand dollars, the purchaser intending to erect a theatre upon the plot.

1826

The seat of government for Tennessee was changed from Murfreesborough to Nashville.

An event occurred this year of a singular character, from which a powerful political combination grew into existence. A man named William Morgan, a member of the Masonic fraternity residing in the western part of the State of New York, was reported to be engaged in a publication exposing the secrets of that society. The Masons in the vicinity were angry, and resolved to prevent the publication, and made several forcible but ineffective attempts for that purpose. Morgan was soon missing, and the unsuccessful search for him excited an interest in the public mind which increased to a high degree of agitation. A committee was appointed at a public meeting to ascertain all the facts, and to bring to justice any criminals that might be found. It was discovered that he had been twice arrested on false charges, that he was taken from the Canandaigua jail in the evening about nine o'clock, gagged and bound, thrown into a carriage, and hurried off to Rochester. By relays of horses and by different hands he was borne along until he was lodged in the magazine at Fort Niagara, where he was put to death. A great crime had apparently been committed, and investigation showed that Masons only were implicated in it. Arrests were made, but it was impossible to secure conviction where judges, sheriffs, juries, and witnesses were Masons. The excitement soon became political. It was alleged that Masonry held itself superior to the laws, and that Masons were more loyal to their Masonic oaths than to their duty as citizens. Masonry, therefore, was held to be a fatal foe to the government and to the country, which must be destroyed; and in several town meetings in Genesee and Monroe counties, Masons, as such, were excluded from office. At the next general election the Antimasons nominated a separate ticket, and they carried five counties against both the great parties. A State organization followed, and in the election of 1830 the Anti-Masonic candidate was supported by the National Republicans, and secured within eight thousand votes enough to insure an election. From a State organization the Anti-Masons became a national party, and in 1832 nominated a presidential candidate, who was also supported by the National Republicans, and the union became the Whig party, which so triumphantly elected its presidential candidate in 1840.

A railroad was put into operation on the 7th of October at Quincy, Mass., for the purpose of transporting stone from the granite quarries at that place to tide-water, a distance of about three miles. Granite sleepers were used, upon which timbers were placed, and on those flat bars of iron were spiked. The cars were drawn by horses. The novelty and advantages of this invention excited great attention. It has been stated through mistake that this railroad was the first one in America. There was a small road built before this one in the Lehigh coal district in Pennsylvania.

The first daily newspaper published in Cincinnati appeared

1827

this year, under the title of The Commercial Register. The first daily newspaper established at Rochester, N. Y., was issued on the 25th of October, and called The Rochester Daily Advertiser. The Richmond Whig appeared in Richmond, Va., and the New Orleans Bee at New Orleans.

Earthen sewer-pipes were exhibited at a Fair held in Baltimore, in November, and that article soon became generally introduced from this time.

The manufacture of palm-leaf hats in this country was commenced in Massachusetts, the material having been imported from Cuba.

The first manufacture of axes and other edge tools was commenced this year, at Hartford, Conn.

The manufacture of school-slates, the first of its kind in the United States, was established in Pennsylvania, near the Delaware River.

The introduction of the mulberry-tree into the United States was made for a nursery at Flushing, L. I. The tree was imported from France.

The English tragedian Macready made his first appearance on the American stage on the 2d of October, at the Park Theatre, in New York.

The era for the commencement of the construction of railroads in the United States dates from this year. The success of the small railroad at Quincy, Mass., demonstrated the fact that much heavier loads could be drawn, and more easily with the same power, in cars with wheels running on iron rails than in wagons upon common roads, even when those roads were in the most passable condition. News of the success of railroads in England had just reached the United States, and had attracted much attention here, where the necessity for improved highways was felt to be more imperative. At this period locomotives had not been used, even in England, and the first railroads there, as well as here, were intended for horse-power only. As an evidence of the public sentiment of the time concerning railroads, the following extract from Niles' Register, of the 3d of January, 1829, is quoted, viz.: "The public mind is every day more and more settling into a belief that railroads will supersede canals, or at least be preferred, unless when the latter can be made under peculiarly favorable circumstances, for certain reasons, best fitted for some particular business. It is believed that railroads are much less expensive than canals as to their construction or repair, and transportation on them is far less liable to interruption on various accounts, and may be continued throughout the whole year. The ascent of considerable heights over which railroads shall pass, will possibly be assisted by stationary engines, or the use of additional horsepower; but we rather think that from improvements now presented, locomotive engines will never come into general use, the power necessary for the transportation of ponderous commodities being so reduced as to become unworthy of much consideration compared with the work performed,' The ad

vantages of railroads worked by horse-power over other known means of land transportation were generally appreciated by the public. A charter was granted by the Legislature of Maryland, for the construction of a railroad to connect Baltimore with Wheeling, and books for subscriptions to the stock were opened at Baltimore on the 20th of March of this year. The city made a subscription of five hundred thousand dollars, and fifteen hundred thousand dollars more were solicited. Upon closing the subscription-book on the 31st of March, it was found that offers were made for a considerable amount more than twice that required. The projectors of the road in asking for a charter, stated to the members of the legislature that the whole distance between Baltimore and Wheeling could be travelled at an average rate of four miles an hour. The enthusiasm on the railroad question was not confined to Baltimore. The Legislature of Massachusetts by a large majority, authorized the appointment of commissioners and an engineer for the purpose of determining a proper line of railroad between the city of Boston and the Hudson River. In May a railroad was completed at Mauch Chunk, in Pennsylvania, for the transportation of coal from the Summit mines to the landing on the Lehigh. The cars ran down by gravity, and were drawn back by mules.

At this period, Indianapolis contained twenty-five brick, sixty frame, and about eighty hewn-log houses; a court-house, jail, and three churches.

The population of Hartford was at this time six thousand nine hundred; of New Haven, seven thousand one hundred; of Newark, N. J., six thousand five hundred; and of New Brunswick, six thousand seven hundred.

The manufacture of fire-bricks was commenced at Baltimore. Before this they were obtained only from England. The general use of grates and furnaces was established about this time.

The first lithographic establishment in the United States was started this year at Boston. The artists and materials were imported from England.

About this date the first store in this country for the sale of American hardware was opened at Philadelphia, by Amasa Goodyear and his son, of india-rubber celebrity.

The Journal of Commerce issued its first number at New York on the 1st of September. It was aided in starting by Arthur Tappan, and was established in the interests of Abolitionism. Eventually it came into the possession of David Hale and Gerard Hallock, and became a conservative organ. The Morning Enquirer was started at New York in May; and these two papers were rivals for the mercantile advertisements of the city, and tried to surpass each other in size, whence the term "blanket-sheets" was given them. To get the commercial news they established swift schooners and pony-expresses. In 1829 the Morning Courier was united to the Enquirer, and in 1861 merged in the New York World.

1828 At the presidential election this year John Quincy Adams was the candidate of the National Republican party, which advocated a high protective tariff, and the aid of the government to be given in carrying out a system of internal improvements. General Andrew Jackson was the nominee of the Democratic party, which opposed those measures. After a spirited contest, in which much personal abuse was mingled, General Jackson was elected, receiving one hundred and seventy-eight of the two hundred and sixty-one electoral votes. The question of a protective tariff was now one of the main issues in party strife; and a tariff act passed by Congress in May was an event which commenced a serious division between the North and South. In the early years of Federal legislation the duties imposed were all moderate, and the Southern States were as ready as any part of the Union in extending protection to home industry, and some of their statesmen were among the foremost in promoting that policy. As late as 1816 some of the Southern statesmen were still in favor of protection. After that year the tariff bills took a sectional aspect: the Southern States, with the exception of the sugar-planting interests in Louisiana, against them; the New England States also against them; and the Middle and Western States in their favor. After the year 1824 the South alone was against that policy.

A newspaper, printed partly in English and partly in the Cherokee language, named The Phoenix, was published at New Echota. The types used were furnished by the United States Government.

A three-story brick house, on a lot twenty-nine feet in front and one hundred and fifty feet in depth, with a brick stable in the rear, on Park Place, in New York, was sold at public auction on the 25th of October for twenty-eight thousand eight hundred and fifty dollars A lot on Wall Street, twenty-five feet in front and one hundred and twelve in depth, was sold at private sale at about the same time, for thirty-five thousand four hundred dollars. The improvements upon it were of little value.

An antiquarian book-store was established in Boston, and it was the first one of the kind opened in this country.

The first damask table-linen manufactured in the United States was made this year at Pittsburg.

The city of New York purchased from James Blackwell the island in the East River bearing his name, for the sum of thirtytwo thousand dollars. The city afterwards was obliged to pay an additional sum of twenty thousand dollars for the release of a dower interest which was unexpectedly discovered to be a lien upon the property.

The first edition of Webster's Dictionary was published. It was issued in two volumes, quarto.

The first periodical devoted to agriculture, published south of Baltimore, was issued at the city of Charleston, under the title of the Southern Agriculturist.

The first periodical exclusively designed for the tastes of