laws for the destruction of our commerce? Who but laments the ruin of that brave, hardy, and generous race of men who are necessary for its support? Who but feels that we are degraded from the rank we ought to hold among the nations of the earth? Despised by some, maltreated by others, and unable to defend ourselves against the cruel depredations of the most contemptible pirates." The last allusion is to the Barbary Powers. He concludes with an appeal to his fellow patriots, to reject the trammels of party, and unite their efforts in the common cause.1 It was the privilege of Livingston, as Chancellor of the State, to administer the oath to General Washington, on his inauguration in New York, in April, 1789, as President, at the memorable ceremony at the old Federal Hall in Wall street, in the balcony under the portico before the Senate chamber, fronting the large assembly of the people crowded to witness the event of the day. Having previously, as we have seen, been one of the Commissioners to adjust the Massachusetts controversy, he was appointed, in 1790, on the commission to negotiate with Vermont in the great territorial dispute with that improvised little State. The desired concessions were made by New York, and the affair satisfactorily ended. In 1794, we find Livingston declining the post of Minister to France, tendered to him by Washington. Four years later, his name appears in connection with the 'Oration before the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of New York, in commemoration of the Fourth Day of July. New York: Francis Childs, 1787. embryo efforts in the direction of the attempts at steam navigation, afterwards carried out by him successfully in coöperation with the genius of Robert Fulton. An application was made by Livingston to the Legislature, for the grant of an exclusive privilege to navigate the waters of the State by steam. The act was passed in March, 1798, conferring the privilege for twenty years, on condition that within twelve months he should put upon the Hudson a boat of at least twenty tons' capacity, propelled by steam, which should accomplish four miles an hour, and that he should at no time omit for one year to have such a boat plying be tween New York and Albany. The bill was introduced into the House by Dr.. Samuel L. Mitchill, then a member of the Assembly, when it was received with derision "as an idle, whimsical project." Livingston's connection with this steamboat enterprise grew out of his relations with John Stevens, of Hoboken. Stevens had been steadily engaged in these researches nine years, when he became the associate of Chancellor Livingston and Nicholas Roosevelt. Brunel, the celebrated engineer of the Thames tunnel, was employed by the association; the efforts of the company were, notwithstanding, unsuccessful, and failed to meet the conditions of the legislature; not, says Professor Renwick, "as we now know, from any error in principle, but from defects in the boat to which it was applied."1 'Professor Renwick's Life of Fulton, in Sparks' American Biography. vention. It is possible that but for Livingston's tion. Livingston appears to have con visit to Paris, and accidental meeting ducted the whole affair with masterly with Fulton in that city, the first ability; making his national bargain triumph of steam navigation on the with the skill of a diplomatic chapman waters of the Hudson, might have been haggling over millions. The First reserved for John Stevens, who, in con- Consul has mentioned a sum impa junction with his son, Robert L. tiently to his minister. "Well, you Stevens, a man of eminent genius in have the charge of the Treasury; let mechanics, was still pursuing the in- them give you one hundred millions of francs, and pay their own claims and We must now turn to Livingston's take the country." It was suggested that mission to France. It was one of the the nation had no means of raising such first appointments of Jefferson's admin- a sum. "They can borrow it," said the istration. Livingston had previously Consul. In reply, Livingston states to been offered the post by Washington, Marbois his agreement with him that on the recall of Gouverneur Morris, the sum was exorbitant, the more so as and had declined it. It is a little they only wished the east side of the singular that as Hildreth tells us, the Mississippi, and the Floridas, Texas new minister should be regarded with then not being dreamt of in the politi suspicion for his Jacobinism, when the cal philosophy. Marbois talks of sixty difficulty since the days of Morris had millions, and the American claims to been in finding a representative suf- the amount of twenty more. The ficiently democratic for that country. American negotiator finds this still The objection, however, was soon lost greatly beyond the national means, and sight of, as the business of diplomacy urges the possibility of the Americans proceeded. It was Livingston's object taking it by force. All this and more to secure the possession of New Orleans, is admitted by Marbois with a shrug. the adjoining portions of Louisiana and "You know the temper of a youthful the Floridas by purchase, for which conqueror; everything he does is rapid purpose Monroe was associated with as lightning; we have only to speak to him in the negotiation. But before him as an opportunity presents itself, the arrival of Monroe at Paris, he had perhaps in a crowd, when he can bear made some progress in the affair. no contradiction." The affair went through some additional bargaining of the kind upon the arrival of Monroe, when a treaty was at length concluded April 30th, on the basis of a payment of sixty millions of francs, and an assumption of the debts to the amount of twenty additional millions, making the entire sum paid for the purchase about fifteen millions of dollars. The correspondence of Livingston, addressed to Madison, the Secretary of State at this time, is of unusual interest. There is one letter in particular, dated Paris, April 13, 1803, Midnight, some little time before Monroe's arrival, narrating the interview of the day with the Minister of the Treasury, which shows us the machinery of the negotia It was justly regarded as a diplomatic navigation, Livingston had other claims triumph, and though it depended very upon public gratitude. He was an much upon the will or conveniences of earnest partisan of the Fine Arts, an Napoleon, credit is certainly due in the other ground of sympathy with Fulton, negotiation to Livingston. and greatly devoted to Agriculture. He was President of the Academy of Fine Arts in New York, which is indebted to him for a valuable collection of busts and statues. He is said to have obtained also for it a number of prints and paint labors are worthy of special mention. He was corresponding member of the Agricultural Society of the Seine, honorary member of the Agricultural Society of Dutchess County, and Presi dent of the Society in New York for the promotion of Useful Arts. He was especially known in connection with his efforts to introduce the merino sheep into America. Hardly less important than this negotiation was the conference we have alluded to on the steam engine with Fulton. Funds were furnished by Livingston, and experiments commenced in France. Their history properly beings from Napoleon. His agricultural longs to the Life of Fulton. We may here, however, state that they were pur. sued with success under this joint arrangement, and were fairly tested on the waters of France, when an engine, planned by Fulton, was ordered in Birmingham, and further trials adjourned to the Hudson. Livingston now renewed his steamboat grant from the legislature without difficulty. In 1805, having resigned his mission to France, and received from Napoleon the parting gift of a snuff-box, ornamented with a portrait of the First Consul, by Isabey, he travelled for awhile on the continent, and returned to New York about the same time with Fulton. He enjoyed of course the triumph of the first success of the Clermont on his native Hudson. The attempt of the following year to introduce some mechanical plans of his own into the improved vessel, was attended with failure. "It relieved Fulton, however," says Professor Renwick, "from all further interference, and was decisive as to his superiority over his colleague in mechanical skill."1 Besides his connection with steam apparent when his long-expected biog raphy shall be given to the world. The mental activity of Livingston was continued to the last. A few days before his death, he wrote a valuable paper on agriculture, for the American edition of "Brewster's Encyclopedia." His decease took place suddenly, at his home at Clermont, on the Hudson, February 26, 1813, at the age of sixtythree. The person of Livingston was tall and graceful. The ease and courtesy of his manners reflected the genial quali ties of his mind. He was a pleasing, persuasive speaker-something more a powerful orator. We have noticed the simplicity and elegance of his style. The nation is indebted to him for many public services, which will become more 'Life of Fulton, p. 63. JOEL BARLOW. JOEL BARLOW, the author of "The time, he would visit the camp and Columbiad," a political writer of varied shoulder a musket, as a volunteer, by accomplishment, a participant in many the side of his brothers in the field. important affairs at home and abroad, He was present, it is said, and fought was one of the celebrities of the Revo- bravely in the action at White Plains. lutionary era, when all public men His friend Dwight, afterwards the were of interest. If his fame has been famous President of Yale, it will be somewhat obscured in later years, it is, remembered, served about this time as perhaps, as much owing to the want of chaplain in the army, and penned his an adequate biographical memoir as to song of Columbia, which was so great the changes in literary fashion which a favorite with our grandfathers: have thrown his writings into the background, for there is enough both in the man and his history which is worthy of attention. "Columbia, Columbia, to glory arise, The Queen of the world and child of the skies!" They were the twin poets of Yale, He was born at Reading, Fairfield wonderful versifiers in that day, Dwight County, Connecticut, in 1755, the son already, while in college, planning his of a respectable farmer of the place, and somewhat cumbrous "Conquest of the youngest of ten children. The Canaan," and Barlow signalizing comfather died while the son was yet a mencement day, when he graduated, by boy at school, leaving him barely suf- the delivery of a poem entitled "The ficient to pay the expenses of his col- Prospect of Peace," which, together lege education. He was entered at with a second collegiate effort in verse, Dartmouth College in his nineteenth on taking his Master's degree, his year, thence he removed to Yale, where friend, the excellent and ingenious he formed an intimacy with Theodore Elihu H. Smith, of Connecticut, some Dwight, who was then just entering years afterwards, published in his ediupon his career of usefulness as tutor tion of "American Poems," the first in the College, shared with him his collection of the kind ever made. These patriotic aspirations and fondness for college poems by Barlow thus early the muse, and graduated with the indicated something of his future tastes highest distinction in 1778. During and ideas in literature and political the vacation intervals in this stirring morality. |