Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-27

Inc congressional campaign OF lI"S sun
ranks the most exciting off year
political contest recorded in the history of
the republic. 1t resulted in q clear-cut
victory for the federalist party at the
polls. but it also sounded the death knell
Of that organization and forever ended
the dominant influence of foreign affairs
in American politics. John Adams had
been elected President, because the fed
eralists did not dare put forward their
real leader. Hamilton. 1t was Hamiton's
purpose and desire to control the Adams
administration, but he had reckoned with
| out his host, and the President soon dem
onstrated to the satisfaction of all parties
| that he would be the head of the admin
istration in fact as we'll as in theory. He
alienated Hamilton, at the beginning of
his term there was an adverse democratic
mapority in the House. and in the Senate
the democratic leader Jefferson presided
as Vice President.
On the whole. the country was demo-
cratic, and Adams did not have at first
the confidence Of the nation. He was sus-
pected, with some reason of too greatly
admiring the institutions Of the British
monarchy. He, In common with many
other conservative Americans, had been
| shocked by the excuses of the French
revolutionists. and was the lmplacable
foe of the Jacobins. The democrats. on
the other hand. had Sympathized with the
French revolutionists wore tri-color cock
AIDES, refused to say mister, and gen
orally sympathiZed with the extreme anti
| aristocratic professions of the French
republicans. Not only were they intense
republicans, but also they hated England.
they had not forgiven George III. they
remembered the horrors of the revolution,
they could not forget that the English
government had not withdrawn the
he tO q
treaty obligation. and they could not for
get that England claimed the right to
seize and search American ships. Nor
could they. either patriots or politi-
clans, condone the ratification of what
they called the Infamous Jay treaty with
England. In short, the demOcratic-repub-
lican party was French party and the
federalist party was an English party.
i
>. The French directory, enraged by the
Jay treaty, demanded that the United
States break with
American ENJOYS England TWO
Are Inundated. ters were practi-
cally expelled from Paris, and then Mr.
Adams sent three special ENJOYS, Gerry,
Marshall and Pinckney.
They we're Inundated by being forced to
treat WITH tNTee duOIlS llOuS pcISOLS,
known only as X, and Il. These three
mysterious diplomatists demanded from
the American ENJOYS a bride of twelve
hundred thousand francs In the mean
time French privateers were preying upon
American shipping. The publication of
this impudent demand of the corrupt
Talleyrand created an intense sensation,
wave of anger sweeping over the
Union. Millions for defense: not one
cent for tribute became the rallying
cry of the federalists in support of Ad-
ans determination not to yield to the
French.
From Vermont to Georgia good repub-
leans who loved France and hated Eng
land rose in protest against the insult
offered by Talleyrand, and pledged them
selves to support the President in war
against France, even to the extent Of
fighting side by side with the detested
English. Those republicans who remain
ed true to their party allegiance and who
dared question the wisdom of embarking
upon a war with France were denounced
as traitors and as enemies Of the re-
public.
A wave of patriotic fervor ingulfed the
whole country. In every city funds were
started byi
Talk of War public sub
Spreads OVER Country. build warI
vessels. Great cities like New York and
Philadelphia actually built ships, while
small towns like Petersburg, Va, raised
as much as $4,000 for the new American
navy. Vessels were built in almost every
port on the Atlantic seaboard, and in
every town the militia companies were
drilled and preparations made for war.
Miss Eleanor Parke Gusts, the step
daughter of Gen. Washington. set the
fashion for the ladies by presenting a
stand of colors to the Alexandria Light
Dragons in an address breathing def
ance to the French.
Every public meeting of any character
whatsoever became a riot. The theaters
were never so we'll filed. since every night
both federalistS and republicans sought to
be in the majority. but the federalsts
soon outnumbered their French sympa-
thizing opponents. Every federalist wore
In his hat a black cockade, while every
democrat sported the red, white and blue
ribbon of the French republicans. When