The Detroit times., 1910-10-27
CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS
THE CAMPAIGN OF 1898
BY FREDERIC J HASklM

declined to recognise Federalists.
Party feeling was intense, and every
body despaired Of the Republic. The
Federalists appear actually 10 have
believed that Jefferson and the Re-
publicans intended 70 set up on this
side OF the Atlantic the horrors OF
the French terror, while the Repub-
licans were no less sincere In their
belief that the Federalists aimed to
establish monarchy, set up an aris-
tocracy and destroy human liberty.
There was no temperance. no moder-
alton, no conservatism.
The indignation against France had
its effect and the Federalists soon had
gained complete control OF the house.
In which at the beginning they had
been slightly In the minority. IA July.
1898, congress enacted the odious
Sedition Bill, which, linked with the
Alien Bill passed by the same body,
marked an epoch In political affairs.
AS introduced. the Sedition Bill de-
clared that every Frenchman was IN
enemy to the United States and 70
give him aid or comfort was treason,
punishable with death. Another sec
ton provided that anyone who In
speech or print justified France or
DETAINED the government Of the
United States, should suffer punish
ment by imprisonment or fine. This
bill was introduced In the senate, but
even the Federalist majority there
was not sufficiently radical to adopt
the measure In Its original form. II
went TO the house where II was again
modified. and where the Republicans
succeeded In amending II SO that the
truth might be given In defense OF
libel As passed. the Sedition Act
provided for punishment OF conspir.
acy to oppose any measure or meas
ures OF the government, provided for
imprisonment for any person who
should by written or printed words
utter a libel against the government
OF the United States. the president or
either house of congress. The Act,
by an amendment put on by the
house. was to expire by the limitation
on March 3, 1901.
The operation of this law was
claimed by the Democrats to In
fringe the freedom of speech and the
freedom OF the press. and q great out
cry was made against II. In passing
this bill the Federalists unwittingly
gave their opponents an opportunity
to take stand upon which they
might recover ground lost because Of
their unfortunate French partisan
ship. Matthew Lyon, a represents
tive from Vermont and a violent Dem
ocrat. was imprisoned In his home
town by a federal Judge because of
the fact that he had twice refused to
cater TO what he considered President
Adams monarchical pretensions
when that statesman served cakes and
wine TO the members OF congress at
receptions. Lyon asked the Judge at
the trial IL he had not himself attend
ed theae pretentious functions The
Judge declared that the receptions
were Republican In their simplicity.
and he sentenced Lyon to jail, fined
him and scolded him numerically.
Lyon was the most hated Democrat
In the country. Being insulted In the
house one day by a Federalist, Girls
void, OF Connecticut, he had retorted
by splitting in Griswold's face. A. few
days later Griswold mauled Lyon with
cudgel on the floor OF the house
Both men were outrageously at fault,
but partisanship caused the Federal
lists to defend Griswold and to attack
Lyon. and vice versa Lyon was In
jail when the congressional elections
were held, but he was triumphantly
reelected. only to be mobbed and
maltreated by New Jersey Federalists
when on his return to congress after
serving out his term.
The low moral tone OF those loose
times was reflected I'm the vile ooaaiD
and slanderous attacks which center
ed around every public man. No man
was too good or too true to escape
SANDER Personalities were INDUCED
in by almost every politician, and the
greatest names among the Fathers OF
the Republic are to be found In con-
nection with the most Questionable
political conspiracies.
But despite the hue and cry against
the Alien and Sedition Laws, the Fed.
eralist appeal to patriotism had its ef-
feet, and in the congressional cleo
lions for the first time In six years
the Federalists captured q clear ma
1ority OF the house, electing fifty-sev-
en- representatives as opposed TO
forty-eight Democrats. The Federal.
lists, thus confirmed in their power.
were now supreme and II must be ad.
mitted that they thought more of re-
venge against their unsuccessful CD
ponents than OF constructive states-
manship. But the victory had come
too late, the Federalists already had
dug the grave In which they were
soon be be buried.
(Tomorrow-The Revolution Of 1900,