Thus Gallatin’s foreign birth--the only objection alleged against him--became the pretext for Giles to declare war against the coming Administration of President Madison. With the aid of Vice-President Clinton, Senator Samuel Smith, and the Federalists, Giles could control the Senate; and every factious interest which wished to force on Madison an object of its own was sure to ally itself with these intriguers until its object should be conceded. The Senate was already a hot-bed of intrigue, where William B. Giles, Timothy Pickering, George Clinton, and Samuel Smith held control; and unless Madison by some great effort of force or skill could crush Giles, in time not only the new Administration, but also the Union itself, might find a deadly danger in the venom of his selfishness. At the close of January, affairs at Washington were trembling on a poise. The laws required for Madison’s purpose were all passed save one; but the party was rent in pieces by faction. Discipline was at an end; the States of Massachusetts and Connecticut were openly adopting treasonable measures; and the great trial of strength--the decision of Congress on immediate repeal of the embargo--had not yet been reached. FOOTNOTES: [353] Pickering to S. P. Gardner; New England Federalism, p. 379. [354] New England Palladium, Jan. 3, 1809. [355] New England Palladium, Jan. 17, 1809. [356] New England Palladium, Jan. 20, 1809. [357] New England Palladium, Jan. 31, 1809. [358] New England Palladium, Jan. 31, 1809. [359] New England Palladium, Feb. 3, 1809. [360] New England Palladium, Feb. 24, 1809. [361] New England Palladium, Feb. 17, 1809. [362] Annals of Congress, 1808-1809, p. 1100. [363] Annals of Congress, 1808-1809, p. 1112. [364] Annals of Congress, 1808-1809, p. 1185 [365] Adams’s Gallatin, p. 387. [366] Adams’s Gallatin p. 388. CHAPTER XIX. Early in January the intended policy of Madison became known. As the story has already told, Madison and Gallatin decided to retain the embargo until June, but to call the new Congress together May 22, and then to declare war, unless Erskine could make concessions. President Jefferson was chiefly interested in maintaining the embargo until after March 4, and the despotism he had so long maintained over Congress seemed still to exasperate his enemies. By common consent, attack upon the embargo was regarded as attack upon the President: and the Northern Democrats had so far lost respect for their old leader as to betray almost a passion for telling him unpleasant truths. Joseph Story, who took the lead in this party rebellion, came to Congress determined to overthrow the embargo, and found Ezekiel Bacon--another Massachusetts member--equally determined with himself. In after years Justice Story told the tale as he remembered it:[367]--