Senator Adams was right in believing that other reasons existed; but although the “National Intelligencer” of the same morning had published the warnings of British newspapers,--doubtless in order to affect the action of Congress,--no one of the Republican senators seemed to rely on the expected British order as the cause of the embargo. In foreign affairs Jefferson maintained the reserve of a European monarch. He alone knew what had been done or was doing, and on him rested the whole responsibility of action. The deference paid by the Senate to the Executive in matters of foreign policy seemed patriotic, but it proved fatal to one senator at least, whose colleague had grievances to revenge. When the committee, after a short deliberation, reported an Embargo Bill, and some of the senators appealed for delay, Adams, who was chafing under the delays which had already lowered the self-respect of Government and people, broke into a strenuous appeal for energy. “The President has recommended the measure on his high responsibility. I would not consider, I would not deliberate; I would act!” The words were spoken in secret session, but Senator Pickering noted them for future use.[136] Among the antipathies and humors of New-England politics none was more characteristic than this personal antagonism, beginning a new conspiracy which was to shake the Union to its foundations. The Senate agreed with the committee that if an embargo was to be laid it should be laid promptly; and the bill, probably drawn by the President, passed through its three stages on the same day, by a vote of twenty-two to six. At the second reading it was strongly opposed by Hillhouse, Pickering, and Sumter of South Carolina; while William H. Crawford, the new senator from Georgia, asked only time for consideration.[137] Within four or five hours after hearing the Message read, the Senate sent its Embargo Act to the House. Meanwhile the House also had received the President’s Message, and had, like the Senate, gone at once into secret session. No sooner was the Message read than John Randolph and Jacob Crowninshield sprang at the same moment to their feet. The Speaker recognized Randolph, who instantly offered a Resolution, “that an embargo be laid on all shipping, the property of citizens of the United States, now in port, or which shall hereafter arrive.” After some time passed in discussion, on receiving the Senate bill the House laid Randolph’s Resolution aside, and in secret session began a long and warm debate, which continued all day, and was not concluded on Saturday, December 19, when the House adjourned over Sunday.