President

(of a State). The first constitutions of Pennsylvania and New Hampshire (1776) provided, not for a single executive head, but for an executive council, of which one member was president. Delaware, South Carolina, and the New Hampshire Constitution of 1784 provided for a single head, but called him president. South Carolina in 1778, Pennsylvania in 1790, Delaware and New Hampshire in 1792, altered the title to Governor. “ President’? and ‘‘ Little Belt.” During 1811, and for some time previous, British cruisers hovering about our coast had captured many American ve els bound for France, and had made a number of impre ments. In May, 1811, Commodore John Rodgers, commanding the American frigate ‘‘President,’’ was ordered to put to sea from Chesapeake Bay and protect our commerce. When thirty miles off Cape Charles, May 16, Rodgers descried a ve el, which he supposed to be the British man-of-war ‘‘ Guerriére.”” He decided to approach her and make inquiries regarding impre ment. This ve el was the ‘‘ Little Belt,’? a small British frigate. She showed no colors and sailed away the ‘“ President’? pursuing. Overhauling her about eight o'clock, Rodgers declared she ran up colors which could not be recognized for the darkne , and fired upon the ‘‘ President.'’ The fire was immediately returned and the “‘ Little Belt ’’ was disabled in about eighteen minutes. The dispute as to which was in fault was never settled. 4 ty -"rom the Original by Adamgy, a THE FOURTH INFANTRY UNDER FILIPINO FIRE. The drawing represents a tragic incident of a reconnoi ance in the Vhilippine s. Lien tenant Cheney, of the Fourth Infantry scouts, advanced some niles ahead of twe com panic. of United States infantry, in an effort to decute fhe lisirgent focee, when his small party was surprised by a large hods of th cnemty that had concealed themselves in a thicket by the rondside. ‘The A me ricins received the fire that was suddenly poured inte sothem without ext i biling tre least trepidation, and though out a umbered early twenty tone, thes valorously maintained their ground until their Herote leader, Lieutenant Cheney fell mortally wounded. The Americans wets dip concerted by this lo and slowly gave way, but curried the dying ficvp with them until scinfercements arrived, when the Filipinos were seouereed) at tucked that they soon retreated in the greatest disorder, touting more than Uwenty of their pumbet dead and wounded on the field, r J eg. Sl ae ‘a? 3 Ai oa Ny A ep iit "coe Bi eed a WY) | 4! e+ 2 Ahi Ps ‘ ae er Eds | tai es PY |;: i. a VES es hy Hi Wa aes Ee Lie Sy a aS Wr ' A Me 4 4. y¥ Wi. f ‘; % ‘ hi r i ’: ™~; *. » ae. bt i hi t ae v My t es try Melee qh ) eee ae iy ey eS) gS RV. t: 4 eS. jf p. \p 2 ere My ee Dill fp \ ae SS 5 ek ae NN SE Poe Wes vi é a F. _ jf ~: pis. ¢,: “ j i: Fie ee S 3 ‘Lh Pt ( a) if J —— “) > yaa a x \.. = oni; a bs Ser fb e ’ =| ce ‘4 ma ‘ ry Pwo ag! PV he \ NCSIEE SUM. x Ss GJ Og ti; ( We Sat ». | { a 4. it) i %& (eP > r. "\ 4; os: < S ad Ne —s! When Foster, the British Minister, arrived, however, it was mutually agreed to drop the affair of the ‘‘ Little Belt’? and the ‘‘ Constitution ” outrage.—In September, 1814, the ‘‘ President,’? under Decatur, was captured by the ‘‘ Endymion ”’ and other British ve els. 131