felt throughout the laud in the depreciation of values, particularly of the agricultural products, the Embargo Act, which prohibited any exportation of goods whatever, brought the people into the still more subdued position, strongly stated at the time as "one in which they shall sell nothing but what they sell to each other" and "all our surplus produce shall rot on our hands." ■ The reduction in the prices went on until it amounted to sixty per cent. Wheat, which had been selling per bushel at two dollars, scarce brought seventy-five cents. And not only were the citizens of the county affected by the diminished value of their goods, but also many of them by the stoppage of the returns from their ventures, in the ships and their cargoes, in which they had joined interest with the traders of the city.

The citizens of Westchester County were prepared without distinction of party to enter with their fellowcitizens of the State into the defense of their common country in the War of 1812. There is abundant evidence that the factious spirit which appeared in New England made but little show in these parts. The questions discussed were rather as to the wisdom and the vigor which characterized the movements in asserting the national dignity than . as to the necessity of them. Time had been allowed, since the aggressive act of 1806, to the most partial to realize the narrow and contemptuous feeling of the enemy, and new evidence was continually turning up, in the acts of impressment and uncalled-for interference with our marine, that self-preservation was the necessity of the hour. The numbers of foremost citizens of our towns, who are remembered as in later yeai-s referring with pride to their military services in the last war with Great Britain, show that by the best members of the community there was evinced at the time all that zeal, which anxiety for the reputation of the county could desire.