ish creditors 131

England retaliates by refusing to surrender the fortresses
on the northwestern frontier 132, 133

CHAPTER IV.

DRIFTING TOWARD ANARCHY.

The barbarous superstitions of the Middle Ages concerning
trade were still rife in the eighteenth century 134

The old theory of the uses of a colony 135

Pitt's unsuccessful attempt to secure free trade between
Great Britain and the United States 136

Ship-building in New England 137

British navigation acts and orders in council directed against
American commerce 138

John Adams tried in vain to negotiate a commercial treaty
with Great Britain 139, 140

And could see no escape from the difficulties except in systematic
reprisal 141

But any such reprisal was impracticable, for the several
states imposed conflicting duties 142

Attempts to give Congress the power of regulating commerce
were unsuccessful 143, 144

And the several states began to make commercial war upon one another 145

Attempts of New York to oppress New Jersey and Connecticut 146

Retaliatory measures of the two latter states 147

The quarrel between Connecticut and Pennsylvania over the
possession of the valley of Wyoming 148-150

The quarrel between New York and New Hampshire over
the possession of the Green Mountains 151-153

Failure of American diplomacy because European states
could not tell whether they were dealing with one nation
or with thirteen 154, 155

Failure of American credit; John Adams begging in Holland 156, 157

The Barbary pirates 158

American citizens kidnapped and sold into slavery 159

Lord Sheffield's outrageous pamphlet 160

Tripoli's demand for blackmail 161

Congress unable to protect American citiz