Thomas Jefferson, the Apostle of AmericanismChinard, Gilbert
History
Thomas Jefferson, the Apostle of Americanism
Chinard, Gilbert
Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826
When Marshall came back from France--much to his surprise, as a war hero
and as an avenger of national honor--the Republicans began to take a
less pessimistic view of the situation. After all, the situation was not
so desperate as they had been led to believe; Gerry had remained in
Paris, and negotiations could be resumed. The show of honesty made by
the envoys in Paris was most gratifying to national honor and gave the
public a feeling of triumph over the corrupt practices of European
diplomacy. But with the return of Marshall a new campaign broke out
against Jefferson. Doctor Logan on his own initiative had gone to Europe
in the interest of peace, but had gone mysteriously and without telling
any one of his intentions. It was soon assumed that he had been sent on
an unauthorized and unofficial but highly objectionable mission by the
Jacobins "to solicit an army from France, instruct them as to their
landing, etc.", and Jefferson was again accused of being the arch
plotter. Nothing could be more ridiculous, for the poor doctor was
simply one of those idealistic pacifists who sometimes do more harm than
good, but whose intentions are not open to suspicion.
But popular passions once aroused cannot be silenced in a day and the
efforts of the friends of peace were weak and inefficient. On April 14 a
bill was passed on second reading by the Senate, declaring the treaties
with France void and nonexistent. Adams made it known that he would
refuse Gerry's request that other envoys be sent. If Congress remained
in session in a city where war hysteria had reached a paroxysm, extreme
measures were unavoidable. The only remedy was to adjourn as soon as
possible, for "to separate Congress now, will be withdrawing the fire
from under a boiling pot."[363] Congress did not separate, however,
without authorizing the President to increase the navy, to expend two
hundred fifty thousand dollars for fortifications, to purchase eight
hundred thousand dollars' worth of arms and ammunition, to raise an army
of ten thousand troops and to equip vessels to seize and bring to port
any armed vessels which had attacked American vessels or might be found
"hovering on the coast of the United States for the purpose of
committing depredations on the vessels belonging to the citizens
thereof." On July 6 were passed the famous Alien Bills, and on the
fourteenth, as a sort of defiance to the principles of the French
Revolution, Congress adopted the "Sedition Law", giving power to the
government "to prosecute persons or to prevent the circulating or saying
of any utterance against the Government of the United States, or either
House of the Congress of the United States, or the President of the
United States."
CHAPTER V
POLITICAL LEADER AND STRATEGIST
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account