is from three to seven feet deep, and of an astonishing Revolution fertility it is proper for every kind of culture, and it multiplies cattle almost without the care of man. and became leader of the Girondists. Brissot was a observer of and institu It is there that those establishments are formed, whose sympathetic prosperity attracts so many emigrants; such as Kentucky, American Frankland, Cumberland, Holston, Muskingum, and Scioto. conditions The oldest and most flourishing of these is Kentucky, tions. which began in 1775, had eight thousand inhabitants in For early 1782, fifty thousand in 1787, and seventy thousand in 1790. settlements, It will soon be a State. Cumberland, situated in the neighbourhood of Kentucky, contains 8000 inhabitants, Holston 5000, and Frankland 25,000. this Western see Contemporaries, II, chs. xx, xxii; III. Frankland, or Franklin, Tennessee. Spain, by Orleans, conholding New trolled the mouth of the Mississippi. There is nothing to fear, that the danger from the savages now eastern will ever arrest the ardour of the Americans for extending their settlements. They all expect that the navigation of the Missisippi becoming free, will soon open to them the markets of the islands, and the Spanish colonies, for the productions with which their country overflows. But the question to be solved is, whether the Spaniards will open navigation willingly, or whether the Americans will force it. A kind of negociation has been carried on, without effect for four years; and it is supposed, that certain States, fearing to lose their inhabitants by emigration to the West, have, in concert with the Spanish minister, opposed it . . . a number of reasons determine me to believe, that the present union will for ever subsist. A great part of the property of the Western land belongs to people of the East; the unceasing emigrations serve perpetually to strengthen their connexions; and as it is for the interest both of the East and West, to open an extensive commerce with SouthAmerica, and to overleap the Missisippi; they must, and will, remain united for the accomplishment of this object. ... The Western inhabitants are convinced that this navigation cannot remain a long time closed. They are deter Through bounty lands and land companies. This prediction was justified in 1803. Ecuador. Not fulfilled entirely till the emancipation in Brazil, in 1888. mined to open it by good will or by force; and it would not be in the power of Congress to moderate their ardour. Men who have shook off the yoke of Great-Britain, and who are masters of the Ohio and the Missisippi, cannot conceive that the insolence of a handful of Spaniards can think of shutting rivers and seas against a hundred thousand free Americans. The slightest quarrel will be sufficient to throw them into a flame; and if ever the Americans shall march towards New Orleans, it will infallibly fall into their hands. I transport myself sometimes in imagination to the succeeding century. I see this whole extent of continent, from Canada to Quito, covered with cultivated fields, little villages, and country houses. I see Happiness and Industry; smiling side by side, Beauty adorning the daughter of Nature, Liberty and Morals rendering almost useless the coercion of Government and Laws, and gentle Tolerance taking place of the ferocious Inquisition. I see Mexicans, Peruvians, men of the United States, Frenchmen, and Canadians, embracing each other, cursing tyrants, and blessing the reign of Liberty, which leads to universal harmony. But the mines, the slaves, what is to become of them? The mines will be closed, and the slaves will become the brothers of their masters. ... Our speculators in Europe are far from imagining that two revolutions are preparing on this continent, which will totally overturn the ideas and the commerce of the old: the opening a canal of communication between the two oceans, and abandoning the mines of Peru. Let the imagination of the philosopher contemplate the consequences. They cannot but be happy for the human race. J. P. Brissot de Warville, New Travels in the United States of America. Performed in 1788 (translated, London, 1792), 474-483 passim. 67. The Inner History of the Northwest FR Ordinance (1787) By REVEREND CUTLER served as a nental army. came interested in the formation of RIDAY, July 20 [1787]. This morning the Secre- MANASSEH tary of Congress furnished me with the Ordinance of yesterday, which states the conditions of a contract, but on terms to which I shall by no means accede. Informed the Committee of Congress that I could not contract on the terms proposed; should prefer purchasing lands of some of the States, who would give incomparably better terms, and therefore proposed to leave the City immediately. They appeared to be very sorry no better terms were offered, and insisted on my not thinking of leaving Congress until another attempt was made. I told them I saw no prospect of a contract, and wished to spend no more time and money on a business so unpromising. They assured me I had many friends in Congress who would make every exertion in my favor; that it was an object of great magnitude, and [I] must not expect to accomplish it in less than two or three months. If I desired it, they would take the matter up that day on different ground, and did not doubt they should still obtain terms agreeably to my wishes. . . Monday, July 23. My friends had made every exertion in private conversation to bring over my opposers in Congress. In order to get at some of them, so as to work powerfully on their minds, [we] were obliged to engage three or four persons before we could get at them. In some instances we engaged one person, who engaged a second, and he a third, and so on to a fourth, before we could effect our purpose. In these maneuvers I am much beholden to the assistance of Colonel Duer and Major Sargent. The matter was taken up this morning in Congress, and warmly debated until 3 o'clock, when another ordinance made agent. the Ohio Company, of which he was He drafted Dane the famous ordicluding slavery from the for Nathan nance ex Northwest Territory, and furnishing a model for the colonial gov ernments of the United States. The piece is also anillustration of the difficulties of business in the Congress of the Confederation. On the Ordi nance, see Contemporaries, III. Temple was British consul. was obtained. This was not to the minds of my friends, who were now considerably increased in Congress Thursday, July 26. . . . Dined with Sir John Temple. Several gentlemen in company. Immediately after dining took my leave and called on Dr. Holton. He told me that Congress had been warmly engaged on our business the whole day; that the opposition was lessened, but our friends did not think it prudent to come to a vote, lest there should not be a majority in favor. I felt much discouraged, and told the Doctor I thought it in vain to wait longer, and should certainly leave the city the next day. He cried out on my impatience, said if I obtained my purpose in a month from that time I should be far more expeditious than was common in getting much smaller matters through Congress; that it was of great magnitude, for it far exceeded any private contract ever made before in the United States; that if I should fail now, I ought still to pursue the matter, for I should most certainly finally obtain the object I wished. To comfort me he assured me that it was impossible for him to conceive by what kind of address I had so soon and so warmly engaged the attention of Congress, for since he had been a member of that body he assured me on his honor he never knew so much attention paid to any one person who made application to them on any kind of business, nor did he ever know them more pressing to bring it to a close. He could not have supposed that any three men from New England, even of the first character, could have accomplished so much in so short a time. This, I believe, was mere flattery, though it was delivered with a very serious air, but it gave me some consolation. I now learned very nearly who were for and who were against the terms. Bingham is come over, but Few and Kearney are stubborn. Unfortunately there are only eight states represented, and unless seven of them are in favor no ordinance can pass. Every moment of this evening until two o'clock was busily employed. A warm seige was laid on Few and Kearney from different quarters, and if the point is not effectually carried the attack is to be renewed in the morning. Duer, Sargent, and myself have also agreed, if we fail, that Sargent shall go on to Maryland, which is not at present represented, and prevail on the members to come on, and to interest them, if possible, in our plan. I am to go on to Connecticut and Rhode Island, to solicit the members from these states to go on to New York, and to lay an anchor to the windward with them. As soon as those states are represented Sargent is to renew the application, and I have promised Duer, if it be found necessary, I will then come on to New York again. Friday, July 27. I rose very early this morning, and, after adjusting my baggage for my return, for I was determ[in]ed to leave New York this day, I set out on a general morning visit, and paid my respects to all the members of Congress in the city, and informed them of my intention to leave the city that day. My expectations of obtaining a contract, I told them, were nearly at an end. I should, however, wait the decision of Congress, and if the terms we had stated, and which I conceived to be exceedingly advantageous to Congress, considering the circumstances of that country, were not acceded to, we must turn our attention to some other part of the country. New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts would sell us lands at half a dollar, and give us exclusive privileges beyond what we had asked of Congress. These and such like were the arguments I urged. They seemed to be fully acceded to, but whether they will avail is very uncertain. Mr. R. H. Lee assured me he was prepared for one hour's speech, and he hoped for success. All urged me not to leave the city so soon; but I assumed the air of perfect indifference, and persisted in my determination, which had apparently the effect I wished. Passing the City Hall as the members were going in to Congress, Colonel Carrington told me he believed Few was |