Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1862-01-22
The Reign of Terror in John Adams
Administration.
THE ALIEN AND sEDITION LAWS
THE LESSONS OF HISTORY,
Number I.

sixty>three years ngo, in the Administra.
tion OF John Adams Awaiting themselves
of the furious war cry against France, tue
Federaists Of that Gay proceeded very
much after the fashion of the Federal Re.
publicans of the present day. The ALLEN
Law" was passed to enable the President
to get rid of some certain troublesome
Democrats OF foreign birth. The "Sedi,
ton Law" was passed to allow the Admin
istration to SUPPRESS" the Democratic
newspapers of the day. Many OF the Dem.
ecratlc editors were fined and imprisoned
for opposing the war policy Of John ADD
ans many papers were suspended. Op'
position was almost silenced in Congress,
the Democratic leaders all fled from its
Halls except Albert Gallatin. Even .IefS
ferson was obliged TO shut himself up for
q while at his home in Monticello, and al
most to suspend correspondence, lest his
letters should be opened by the secret a.
gents of the Administration, which sought
occasion to pe:secute him under the Sc !
dition Law" Hundreds fell away from
the Democratic party under the pretonce
OF mo party support the Governments"
some struggled back, afterwards, like the
prodigal son, glad to feed on the husks Of
Democracy others strayed along gloomily
in the quagmres of "blacS cockade Fed
eralism." Democratic members Of Con
gress we're insulted at theatres, and groaned
in public meetings. The haJeas corpus was
partially suspended; and all opposition
was attempted 10 be silenced by mobs, Or
suppressed by the strong arm of the Adj.
minstration. But all this availed moth
ing in the end. The people a. ose in their
might, after Two years, through the ballot
box, and at the Presidential election of
lS0O-l, the Democratic party triumphed
jefferson vas elected PrasdAnt. ard John
Adams party and his measures, Alien and
Sedition Laws, and all perished, and be-
Gums by.word and kissing ever after
wards. The prison doors were opened;
the Fort La Fayettes" of that day were
compelled to disgorge their victims Dem
ocratc presses were restored and for Just
sixty years the Constitution and the Un>
ion we're preserved, and the whole coun-
try grew and !toulished and was prosper>
Gus and happy as no other country ever
was, till the so-cal!ed "Republican party"
obtared power, on the 4th of March, 1861.
We compile and condense the following
nara i've from Randall's Life of Jefferson
"a work written several years prior 10 the
events Of The present time. The reader
canuot fail to observe the striking SIM
larity between the two periods. Let eve'
nv Democrat take fresh courage from the
result of the Grrible struggle for Liberty
and Union" in which their fathers, sixty
years ago, were engaged. Let them never
despair of the Republic:
when the X 7 z dispatches we're
spread before the American public fierce
Indignation bust throughout lhe land.
we had not only been insulted,' it was
said, but infamously degraded by being
asked to absolutely purchase a hearing
from the French Government. All con-
siderations of prudence fell like dry grass
in the track of rushing fire. Let US fight,
if we are annihilaied, was the cry that
went up from the very heart of gallant
people. Party lines perishea in a moment.
| The Democrats were instantly reduced to
a reebler minority throughout the nation
than they had been any day before. since
their first organization as a party. Some
of the Democratic members of tho House
of Representatives instantly changed sides.
/ Others abandoned their posts jefferson
wrote to Madison, April Goth, 1898:
"1iles Clopton, Clabell and Nicholas
have gone, and Clay goes tomorrow. Pack
er has completely gone over to the Oar
pay. In this state of things they will
carry what they please"
This was the same Colonel Packer who
had taken such an extreme position a.
gainst jays treaty; and hopeless must
have been the struggle when John Nicho-
las turned his back
War measures bills for preparing fleets
and armies and RAPIDLY
passed Congress. Hints Of alien and Scdton
lacS became rife, The most obnoxious
French residents, dreading some violent
action, chartered a vessel and fled home
/ Kosciusko even was among the fugitives
! limitations were not wanting among the
inAamed and triumphant Federalsts that
even the Democratic leader in The House
Albert Gallatin, a naturalized citizen
should be reached by some law, and driv.
en- out of the country. When others sue
cumbed to the power of excitement, he
neither yielded nor fled his post
Addresses rained upon the President
from military, civic, and unorganized pub
lie bodies, rendering their support to hi:
measures. But the masses were still, it
appears, divided, at least in some places
Jefferson wrote to James Lewis, ir., on
the 9Th day of May, 1893, as follows
Party passions are indeed high. re.
ceiye daily bitter proofs of people who
never saw me, nor know anything of me
but through Porcupine, (Cobbett,l and
Tenno, Federal editors At this mo.
ment all the passions are boiling over, ahG
one who keeps himself cool and clear OF
the contagion is so far below the poirt O
ordinary conversation, that he finds him.
self isolated in every society However
the fever will not last. War, land tax
and stamp tax are sedatives which mus
cool Its ardor. They will bring reflection,
and that with information, as all which