of designs against the United States, he was
nevertheless guilty of quasi-treason if he schemed to erect a separate
government within Spanish possessions to which the American Republic was
already heir apparent. The murder of Alexander Hamilton by Burr under the
forms of a duel, which preceded his mysterious expedition in the
southwest, and his subsequent attempt to claim British allegiance on the
ground that he had been a British subject before the Revolution, were
other extraordinary incidents in the career of a man in whom
distinguished talents were utterly without the anchor of morality.

* * *

No war in which the United States has been engaged witnessed more heroic
deeds than that with the Barbary States. It was a struggle in which the
youngest of civilized nations met the semi-barbarous masters of Northern
Africa, the heirs of Mahomet and conquerors of the Constantines. Attended
by the loss of some precious lives, which were deeply mourned and are
gratefully remembered, the chastisement of the corsairs proved excellent
schooling for the more serious war with Great Britain. The struggle with
the pirates was largely due to the hostile influence exerted by England
with a view to the destruction of American commerce. In 1793 the British
government actually procured a truce between Algiers and Portugal, in
order that the Algerians might have free rein in preying upon American
and other merchantmen, and it may be said that piracy in the
Mediterranean was under British protection. The American people for a
time paid the tribute which the pirates demanded, but at length revolted
against the indignity. The war began with disaster. The American frigate
Philadelphia, Captain William Bainbridge, ran on a reef in the harbor of
Tripoli, and all on board were made prisoners. The Bashaw held his
captives for ransom, and treated them sometimes with indulgence and at
other times with severity, as he thought best for his interests. It
should not be forgotten by the American people that Mr. Nissen, the
Danish consul, devoted himself assiduously to the welfare of the
prisoners, and was instrumental in many ways in assisting the American
cause, while Captain Bainbridge also managed to give most valuable
information to Captain Edward Preble, in command of the American
squadron.

One suggestion made by Captain Bainbridge was that the Philadelphia,
which the Tripolitans had succeeded in raising