dian shore, and in October, near the Thames, defeated and dispersed the British army under general Proctor. In this action the enemy sustained a severe loss, and the celebrated Indian chief Tecumseh was killed. But the Americans were afterwards repulsed at Williamsburg.

21. Great preparations had been made for the conquest of Canada, under generals Wilkinson and Hampton; but nothing of importance was effected; and a disagreement between the two generals prevented that concert which was necessary to insure success. The village of Newark, in Canada, being burnt by the Americans, the British crossed over, and, in retaliation, burnt Buffalo and some other villages. During this year, the British, under admiral Cockburn, committed various depredations in the south, and on the shores of the Chesapeake; but they were repulsed at Craney island, near Norfolk.

22. The English were mcre successful on the ocean, during this year, than during the preceding. The American flag, however, was not, in any instance, disgraced; nor were our ships and men found inferior to those of Britain of equal force. In February, the Hornet, commanded by captain Lawrence, captured the British sloop the Peacock. In June, the Chesa peake, under captain Lawrence, was captured by the Shannon, commanded by captain Broke. In August, the Argus was captured by the English sloop the Pelican; and in September, the British brig the Boxer surrendered to the Enterprise.

23-(1814.) The campaign of 1814 was distinguished by more severe fighting in Canada, than had before occurred. On the 2d of July, the Americans, under general Brown, having taken Fort Erie, proceeded to attack the British under general Drummond, at Chippewa, where, on the 5th, an obstinate engagement took place, which terminated in favor of the Americans. On the 25th of the month, a more sanguinary and warmly-contested battle was fought, at Bridgewater, by the Americans, under generals Brown and Scott, and the British, under generals Drummond and Riall. The British were forced to retreat, with the loss of about 900 in killed, wounded, and taken. The American army was also so much weakened, that it fell back to Fort Erie, which the British afterwards attempted to storm, but they were repulsed with a severe loss. This was the last important operation of the war on this frontier.

24. Sir George Prevost, having received large reinforcements from the troops which had been employed under the Duke of Wellington, in Spain, now advanced with an army

of 14,000 men, to carry offensive war into the United States; and his first attempt was on Plattsburg. The operations of this army were accompanied by those of the British naval force on Lake Champlain, consisting of 95 guns and 1,050 men, commanded by commodore Downie. This force was totally defeated by the American fleet, having 86 guns and 826 men, under the command of commodore Macdonough. During the engagement between the fleets, Sir George Prevost attacked the forts of Plattsburg, but was effectually repulsed by the Americans, under general Macomb. The loss of the British, in killed, wounded, and deserters, was estimated at 2,500; while that of the Americans, both on the land and water, was only 231.

25. In August, a British fleet of about 60 sail arrived in the Chesapeake, and an army of about 5,000 men, under general Ross, landed in the Patuxent, about 40 miles from the city of Washington. Having easily put to flight the American militia, under general Winder, at Bladensburg, the enemy entered Washington, burnt the capitol, the president's house, and other public buildings, and retired without molestation. In September, about a fortnight after this transaction, the British army, to the number of about 7,000, under general Ross and admiral Cockburn, made a similar attempt on Baltimore; but after gaining some advantages, they were finally repulsed In this attempt general Ross was killed.

26. On the ocean, the American flag maintained its reputation, and in no instance yielded to an inferior or an equal force. The American frigate the Essex, however, was captured by the British frigate the Pkabe and the sloop Cherub, of a superior force; and the frigate President, by a squadron of the enemy; but the British vessels of war the Epervier, Avon, Reindeer, Cyane, Levant, and Penguin, were taken by the Americans.

27. As the war between the United States and Great Britain was a branch of the great European quarrel, it naturally fell to the ground when that quarrel ceased. The matters in dispute between the two countries related to maritime and neutral rights; but with regard to these subjects, there was no longer any cause of difference, as the world was at peace. On the restoration of peace in Europe, both parties began to think seriously about ending the war; and the emperor of Russia offered his services as mediator, which were, however, declined by the British government, and a direct negotiation at London

or Gottenburg was proposed. In April, 1813, commissioners, on the part of the United States, were appointed to meet others from England at Gottenburg: but the place of meeting was afterwards changed to Ghent, where a treaty was finally signed on the 24th of December, 1814.

28. While the negotiation was in progress, a large armament, under the command of Sir Edward Packenham, was fitted out by Great Britain, for an attack on New Orleans, with the intention, apparently, of ending the war with some eclat; but the design met with a most signal and fatal defeat. The British, after enduring great fatigues and numerous difficulties, and sustaining some desperate encounters, assaulted the works thrown up for the defence of the city, on the Eth of January, 1815, when they were dreadfully cut to pieces and repulsed by the Americans, under general Jackson. The loss of the enemy, in killed, wounded, and captured, amounted to about 2,600; among the slain were the commander-in-chief, general Packenham, and other principal officers. The loss of the Americans was only 7 killed, and 6 wounded.

29. This was the last important operation of the war; the joyful news of peace having happily put an end to further hostilities.

30. In the treaty of Ghent, no allusion is made to the causes of the war, each party being left in possession of its real or imaginary rights. In case, therefore, that Great Britain should be engaged in another European war, the questions between the two countries, which are now set at rest by peace, might be again revived, and would, it is to be apprehended, lead to new difficulties.

31. But as it is evident that Great Britain and the United States, though they may harass and annoy each other, can never make such an impression as to compel a peace, it may be hoped they will be warned by experience to avoid useless wars; that they will exist hereafter, not for each other's annoyance, but for each other's benefit; and that their policy will be to avoid every cause of mischief and contention, and draw closer every tie, whether of consanguinity, religion, or interest, which can firmly unite them in a lasting peace.

32. Mr. Madison, after having filled the office of president of the United States during 8 years, was succeeded, in 1817, by James Monroe, whose administration was generally quiet and prosperous, and who was succeeded, in 1825, by John Quincy Adams.

33. After the restoration of peace, the country soon returned to its former prosperity: commerce revived; agriculture and manufactures became prosperous; the attention of the people has since been turned to various objects of internal improvement; education, literature, and the useful arts, have been fostered and promoted; and several new states have been added to the confederacy.

34. On the 4th of July, in 1826, while the people of the United States were engaged in celebrating the Fiftieth Anniversary of our National Independence, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson expired; the former at his residence at Quincy, in Massachusetts, in his 91st year, and the latter at Monticello, in Virginia, in his 84th year.

35. These distinguished men stood first and second on the committee of five appointed by congress to prepare the Declaration of Independence in 1776; and of this instrument Mr. Jefferson was the writer, and Mr. Adams the most powerful advocate. They afterwards held, in succession, the office of president of the United States, and were also at the head of the two opposite parties into which the country was long divided. After having retired from public life, they renewed and cultivated a friendly intercourse with each other, and finally passed out of the world together, on the Fiftieth Anniversary of the day which their Declaration had rendered illustrious as the era of American Independence.

36. In 1829, Jahn Quincy Adams was succeeded in the office of president by Andrew Jackson.

[For a chronological view of the History of the United States, see page 341.]

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

SECTION I.

From the Birth of Christ to the year 325.

1. ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY is the history of the Church of Christ, or of Christianity, from its first promulgation to the present time. This period, embracing about 18 centuries, may be distinguished into four great divisions.

2. The first division extends from the birth of Christ to A. D. 325, when, during the reign of Constantine the Great, Christianity became the religion of the Roman empire. Tus is the era of primitive Christianity, the professors of which, compared with those of the subsequent period, were distirguished for the simplicity of their doctrine, and the purity of their lives. During this period, Christianity was so far from being protected by the civil government, that it was subjected by it to the most cruel persecutions.

3. The second division comprises the period from the time of Constantine to the year 755, when the supremacy of the Pope was acknowledged, and his temporal dominion established. During this period, Christianity became corrupted by the infusion of a secular or worldly spirit among its professors; and also by incorporating with it the philosophy and superstitions of paganism.

4. The third division extends from the commencement of the temporal dominion of the pope to the Reformation, which began in 1517. This period was the reign of ignorance, superstition, and ecclesiastical tyranny. The greater part of it is comprised in what is termed the Dark Ages, during which the lights, both of religion and knowledge, were almost extinguished