Christopher Columbus. At the same time James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851) was rising to fame as a writer of American novels. Europe had said that our country had no material out of which to

make a novel, but The Spy (1821), with its story of bravery and self-sacrifice during the American Revolution, disproved this statement. Other works soon followed, each weaving into a story some portion of American history. Irving and Cooper were the first distinguished men of letters to take American subjects for their writings.

336. A Famous Group. Another important group of American writers were already beginning their work. William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878) astonished people by writing Thanatopsis, at the age of seventeen. In 1821 he published a booklet of poems, containing among others that beautiful lesson of faith expressed in To a Waterfowl. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), our first important philosopher, began his work in this period. Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864), another of America's great story-writers, attracted early notice through the Twice-Told Tales.

In the year 1807 were born two of our most beloved poets, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and John Greenleaf Whittier. Before his graduation (1825) Longfellow had written a number of poems, among them the sweet Hymn of the Moravian Nuns, in which he celebrates the patriotic gift of a banner to Pulaski by the "Nuns" of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (§§ 220, 239). Whittier, the "Quaker" poet, as a farmer's boy of eighteen, wrote the

Exiles' Departure. Later he threw his whole energy into the anti-slavery cause, and became famed as the "poet of freedom."

Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894), like Longfellow, had written successful verses before he received his diploma (1829). In the very next year, by the stirring poem, Old Ironsides, he saved the ship "Constitution" from being broken up as useless (§ 316).

337. Patriotic Literature. Besides these teachers of the beautiful in life, others were already writing songs to stir our national pride and teach a noble love of country. Hail Columbia (1798), Adams and Liberty (1798), The StarSpangled Banner (1814), and The American Flag, are among the most important of these songs. In addition, numerous popular songs were written to celebrate the victories of the War of 1812.

With this patriotic literature may be named the great speeches of Clay and Webster which were made in Congress in defense of the Constitution or on great occasions when the people met to celebrate some famous event. These addresses were heard and read by thousands, and helped to strengthen the Union for its great day of trial.

338. History and Art. Akin to this work were the writings of our first historians. By 1830 the people were reading of the Revolution as told in the lives of its heroes, such as Washington, Franklin, Henry, Otis, and others, and George Bancroft was planning his great lifework, a History of the United States.

American artists were painting great scenes from our history, such as the "Signing of the Declaration of Independence," "Washington Crossing the Delaware," and "Perry's Victory on Lake Erie." The country was showing its pride in its own history by erecting monuments to commemorate great events.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

339. Lafayette's Last Visit. In 1824 occurred the ceremony of laying the corner-stone of the Bunker Hill Monument, in which the aged Lafayette took part. Lafayette was then on his second and last visit to America. He visited the old battlefields, greeted his few surviving comrades, and returned to his native land bearing a generous gift from Congress for his noble services, and the undying affection of the American people.

340. The Monroe Doctrine (1823). The Declaration of Independence, Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality, and the War of 1812 showed a growing feeling in this country in favor of

"America for Americans," which meant that we were not to mix in European affairs or permit Europeans to meddle with ours.

The American and French revolutions stirred the people of Mexico and South America to rebel against Spain. European rulers had formed what was called the "Holy Alliance" to keep down all revolutions, and it was expected that they would aid Spain in punishing her American rebels. In the meantime, Russia, which then owned Alaska, was pushing down the Pacific coast and threatening our claim to the Oregon region (§ 301).

Jacquesterol

JAMES MONROE

John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State, saw the danger to both North and South America and urged James Monroe, who was then serving his second term as President (1821-1825), to protest against any interference by European governments in American affairs. This

he did in his celebrated message to Congress, December 2, 1823, declaring that: "The American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintained, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers. . . In the wars of the European powwe have never taken any part, nor does it

ers

comport with our policy so to do. But with the governments who have declared their independence, and whose independence we have . acknowledged, we could not view any interposition, for the purpose of oppressing them, in any other light than as the manifestation of an unfriendly disposition toward the United States."

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Before the War of 1812 such a declaration would have amused Europe; now it was taken seriously, and England had even asked us to join her in opposing the Holy Alliance. A new national spirit had arisen.

OLD PARTIES WITH NEW NAMES BECOME MORE NATIONAL AND MORE DEMOCRATIC

341. The Era of Good Feeling. The bitter feelings of the early political campaigns were passing away. The Federalist party was dead, and the Republican party had grown more national in its views. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson renewed their friendship, thus setting a good example to their followers. The unpatriotic names of "French party" and "English party" could be used no more. We had learned by sore experience that France and England cared little for our interests.

Monroe was the last of the Revolutionary heroes who could be President. Early in his first term he journeyed through many states and received everywhere a most enthusiastic welcome, but particularly in New England, where the opposition to his party had been most bitter.

At Boston a great jubilee was held in his honor, and fifty thousand people bade him welcome. Federalists of the Hartford Convention and the aged John Adams joined in honoring the President.

Monroe was a peacemaker and everywhere he went he pleaded for a united nation. Under his administration national brotherhood had a new birth, as was proved by his almost unanimous reëlection in 1820.

342. Election of 1824. As the election of 1824 approached, many candidates for the Presidency sprang up, but they were all members of the Republican party. New England presented John Quincy Adams, Secretary of State; the West, Henry Clay of Kentucky, Speaker of the House of Representatives; the South, Secretary of War William H. Crawford; the Southwest, the hero of New Orleans, Andrew Jackson of Tennessee. John C. Calhoun of South Carolina was chosen Vice-President, but no one received a majority of votes for the Presidency, and the election for a second time went to the House of Representatives, where John Quincy Adams was chosen. Henry Clay's influence elected Adams. Some of Jackson's friends asserted that Adams had bribed Clay by promising him the position of Secretary of State. This was not true, but the slander followed Clay all his life.

343. Origin of the Whig and the Democratic Parties. No sooner was Adams elected than the people began to take sides. Those who believed in protection to American