Election for the Sixth Term, commencing March 4, 1809, and terminating March 3, 1813. James Madison took the oath of office, as President, and en⚫ tered upon his duties March 4, 1809. George Clinton, elected Vice President, took the oath of office, and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1809. Our national position, especially in regard to England and France, was certainly a very perplexing one when Mr. Madison came to the Presidency. We were not only threatened by enemies abroad, but were harassed by a savage foe on our western frontier, probably urged on by British influence, and led by the famous chief Tecumseh and his brother the Prophet. These last were finally subdued in 1811; but our European foes were more troublesome. After all peaceful means had failed to check the aggressions of England, and when at length "patience had ceased to be a virtue," war was declared against that country, June 19, 1812. The events of that war it is not within our province to record; and it is sufficient to say, that they greatly elevated the American character in the estimation of both friends and enemies. 7 No. of Electors from each State. Election for the Seventh Term, commencing March 4, 1813, and terminating March 3, 1817. 8 New Hampshire.......... 22 .... 29 New York................ 18 New Jersey.. ................................ ............................. 25 Pennsylvania............. 25 Virginia.. 15 11 North Carolina............................... 8 Georgia.. 12 Kentucky. 8 Tennessee.................................. 28 .... 29 ୫ .... 4 5 .... .... .... 12 .... 7 Ohio... ............ ..................... 3 Louisiana...... ...................... 217 Whole No. of Electors.... Majority.. 7 7 .... James Madison, elected President for a second term. [There is no notice on the Journals of Congress of his having taken the oath.] Elbridge Gerry, elected Vice-President, attended in the Senate on the 24th of May, 1813, and exhibited a certificate of his haying taken the oath of office prescribed by law, which was read. The war into which the country had been forced was brought to a close by the treaty of Ghent, which was signed December 24, 1814; but this treaty had scarcely been ratified, when it became necessary to commence another war for the protection of American commerce and seamen against Algerine piracies. In May, 1815, a squadron under Commodore Decatur sailed for the Mediterranean, where the naval force of Algiers was cruising for American vessels. After capturing two of the enemy's best frigates in that sea, Decatur proceeded to the Bay of Algiers, and there dictated a treaty which secured the United States from any further molestation from that quarter. Similar treaties were also concluded with the other Barbary powers. Election for the Eighth Term, commencing March 4, 1817, and terminating March 3, 1821. James Monroe took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon his duties March 4, 1817. Daniel D. Tompkins, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1817. The Seminole and a few of the Creek Indians commenced depredations on the frontiers of Georgia and Alabama towards the close of 1817, for which they were severely chastised by a force under General Jackson, and gladly sued for peace. In February, 1819, a treaty was n.gotiated at Washington, by which Spain ceded to the United States East and West Florida and the adjacent Islands. In the same year the southern portion of Missouri Territory was set off under the name of Arkansas, for which a territorial government was formed; and Alabama was constituted a State, and admitted into the Union. Early in 1820 the province of Maine, which had been connected with Massachusetts since 1652, was separated from it, and was admitted into the Union as an independent State. Election for the Ninth Term, commencing March 4, 1821, and terminating March 3, 1825. James Monroe was re-elected President, but there is no notice on the Journals of Congress that he again took the oath of office. Daniel D. Tompkins was re-elected Vice President, but there is no record of his having taken the oath of office. Public attention was much occupied in 1824-5 by a visit from the venerable General Lafayette, who, after the lapse of nearly half a century from the period of his military career, was again welcomed with every token of respect that could be devised for honoring the "Nation's Guest." He landed in New York in August, 1824, and after remaining there a short time, set out on a tour through all the States. Upwards of a year was taken up in accomplishing this gratifying object; and in September, 1825, he sailed from Washington in the frigate Brandywine for his native home. Election for the Tenth Term, commencing March 4, 1825, and terminating March 3, 1829. 261 Whole No. of Electors... 99 84 Majority............ 131 Neither candidate for the Presidency having received a majority of the electoral votes, it devolved upon the House of Representatives to choose a President from the three highest on the list of those voted for, which three were Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and William H. Crawford. Twenty-four tellers (one member from each State) were appointed, who, after examining the ballots, announced that the votes of thirteen States had been given for John Quincy Adams; the votes of seven States for Andrew Jackson; and the votes of four States for William H. Crawford. The Speaker then declared that John Quincy Adams, having received a majority of the votes of all the States, was duly elected President of the United States for four years, commencing on the 4th of March, 1825; on which day Mr. Adams took the oath of office, and entered upon his duties. John C. Calhoun, having been elected Vice President, took the oath of office, and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1825. |