THE NATION'S POPULATION AND INDUSTRIES.

390. The New Nation. The nation was now to begin a new existence under the Constitution. The dawn of a new day had come. The people were interested, hopeful, on tiptoe with anticipation. The general feeling agreed with Franklin that the sun of the nation's prosperity was rising. Many circumstances conspired to render the outlook favorable, though business was much depressed, the people poor, and the industries few.

391. Population. The first census of the United States was taken in 1790, and showed an entire population of less than four millions. The States of New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio have each to-day a population as large as that of the whole country when Washington was inaugurated President. The centre of population was east of Baltimore, on the eastern side of Chesapeake Bay.

392, Industries. The mode of life at that time was in all respects quite primitive. Lamps were almost unknown. Houses were

lighted by tallow candles; the streets of large towns were lighted with dim lanterns. Wood was the sole fuel for heating and cooking. Manufactures were few and coarse in quality. Machine-shops were unknown. The blacksmith's anvil and forge were found here and there. Water-power was scarcely utilized except in saw-mills for sawing boards and in grist-mills for grinding corn and rye. Planing-machines were unknown. Such a thing as a cotton factory or a woolen mill did not exist in the whole land. Wool and flax were prepared and spun at home and woven into cloth for garments for men, women, and children. In the South cotton was raised in small quantities to be carded, spun, and woven by hand.

393. Country Life.-Agriculture was the principal industry for the people. The farmer produced almost everything that he needed. Once a year the shoemaker would visit each family, stopping long

Eli Whitney.

enough to make up the year's sup

ply of shoes and boots. The tailor in like manner went from house to house to make the necessary garments for the family. Ploughs, wagons, and sleds were of home manufacture. Hunting, trapping, and fishing were the chief sources of animal food. Leathern breeches were not uncommon among mechanics and farmers.

394. Slaves. Slaves were still found in every State except Massachusetts. Nearly one-sixth of the entire population was slave, of which about seven-eighths were in Maryland, Virginia, and the two Carolinas. These were largely employed in raising tobacco, indigo, and rice.

395. Commerce. The small population was scattered over a large territory. There were but few large towns. The greater number of the people lived on their farms. Considerable coasting trade was carried on, especially between the North and the South. Commerce with foreign nations was limited. Rice, cotton, indigo, and tobacco were exported. Manufactured goods of all kinds were imported.

396. Cotton. At about this time a great change took place in the production of cotton and cotton goods. Throughout the Southern States cotton was easily grown, but the process of separating the fibre from the seed was difficult and expensive. It was a slow work, performed only by hand, a common laborer being able to separate only a pound or two a day.

397. Cotton-Gin. In 1792 Eli Whitney, a native of Massachusetts,

just graduated from Yale College, went to Georgia as a teacher. He lived with the family

of the widow of General Nathaniel Greene (355). One day Mrs. Greene asked him if he could not invent a machine which would separate the cottonseed from the fibre. He

turned his attention to the problem, and for some months was earnestly engaged in perfecting his invention. The machine was a simple one, and was soon adopted wherever cotton was raised.

398. Its Effects. The increase in the production of cotton from this cause was enormous. In 1792 the entire South exported less than one hundred and fifty thousand pounds. Three years later six million pounds were exported. In 1895 the exportation was about six million bales, of four hundred and seventy pounds each. This single invention has exerted an immense influence upon the whole history and prosperity of this country. It is estimated that for the year ending June 30, 1895, raw cotton was exported from the United States to the value of nearly three hundred million dollars.

399. Cities. The great increase in manufactures of all kinds has of late tended to the growth of cities and large towns. In 1790, however, the cities were few and small. The largest cities at that time were Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Charleston. Only one of these had a population of thirty-five thousand souls. The entire population of all the cities at that date was only about three per cent of the whole country. To-day the population of the cities. of this country is more than one-fourth of the whole.

CHAPTER LV.

WASHINGTON'S ADMINISTRATIONS. 1789-1797.

George Washington, the son of Augustine and Mary Washington, was born at Bridge's Creek, Westmoreland County, Virginia, February 22d, 1732, N. S. His great-grandfather, John Washington, a loyalist, emigrated to Virginia during the Commonwealth.

400. The President. The new Constitution having been adopted by the requisite number of States, Congress appointed the first Wednesday in January, 1789, as the day for electing presidential electors, and voted that on the first Wednesday in February these electors in the several States should choose a president. It was also voted that on the first Wednesday in March the President should take his seat at New York and operations. begin under the Constitution. George Washington was elected the first President by a unanimous vote of all the electors. John Adams was elected Vice-President. Senators and representatives were appointed from eleven States, and, these having met in New York, the new government was put in operation. North Carolina soon after ratified the Constitution, and the next year its adoption by Rhode Island brought all the States once more together.

After the close of the French and Indian War Washington resigned his position in the army, and, returning to his plantation, spent most of his time in the direction of its affairs. He was repeatedly elected to the legislature of Virginia; and although he was very quiet, scarcely ever making a speech, he was highly respected by all, even the radicals, and his opinions carried great weight. His first real experience in the command of large forces was obtained in Cambridge. From this time to the close of the war the life of Washington is the history of his country.

After the army was disbanded, the troops, much dissatisfied with their treatment, desired to form a new government, making Washington their king. He refused this proposal with scorn, and again went home to Mount Vernon. Here he quietly remained, though keeping in touch with every movement, until he was elected a delegate to the Federal Convention in 1787. No one thought of electing any other than Washington to the Presidency, and in 1789 he was, as with one voice, chosen the first President of the United States.

401. The Cabinet. At this time the people had not yet crystallized into political parties. Washington appointed Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Foreign Affairs (now called Secretary of State); Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury; Henry Knox, Secretary of War; and Edmund Randolph, Attorney-General. These four officers at that time constituted the President's cabinet. The first Postmaster-General was Samuel Osgood, who was soon succeeded by