Page:Life of Henry Clay (Schurz; v. 1).djvu/53

Rh portant gentlemen. Jefferson's conciliatory policy, proclaimed in the famous words, “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists,” produced the desired effect of withdrawing from the Federalist leaders a large portion of the rank and file, and of greatly mitigating the acerbity of party contests, which under the preceding administration had been immoderately violent. The Republican majority in Congress and in the country grew so large that the struggle of the minority against it ceased to be very exciting. On the other hand, the Federalists had left the machinery of the government on the whole in so good a condition that the party coming into power, although critically disposed, found not much to change. Those at the head of the government professed to be intent upon carrying on public affairs in the simplest and most economical style. Under such circumstances the popular mind could give itself without restraint to the development of the country in the material sense. The disturbed state of Europe having thrown a large proportion of the carrying trade on the ocean into the hands of the American merchant marine, the foreign commerce of the seaboard cities expanded largely. Agriculture, too, was remarkably prosperous, cotton was rapidly becoming the great staple of the South, and other crops in increasing variety were greatly augmented by the breaking of virgin soils. Manufacturing industry began to take possession of the abundant water-powers of the country, and to produce a constantly growing volume