that Gallatin, for once, had
met warmth with warmth, and anger with anger. When, Harper said, a
gentleman, who is usually so cool, all at once assumes such a tone of
passion as to forget all decorum of language, it would seem as if the
observation had been properly applied. On the vote to strike out the
obnoxious sections, the Federalists defeated their antagonists, and on
June 21 the bill itself was passed with all its odious features by 46 to
40.

On June 21 President Adams sent in a message with letters from Gerry,
who had remained at Paris after the return of Marshall and Pinckney, on
the subject of a loan. They contained an intimation from Talleyrand that
he was ready to resume negotiations. In this message Adams said, "I
will never send another minister to France without assurances that he
will be received, respected, and honored as the representative of a
great, free, powerful, and independent nation." On the 25th an act was
passed authorizing the commanders of merchant vessels to defend
themselves against search and seizure under regulations by the
President. On June 30 a further act authorized the purchase and
equipment of twelve vessels as an addition to the naval armament. To all
intents and purposes a state of war between the two countries already
existed.

The 4th of July (1798) was celebrated with unusual enthusiasm all over
the United States, and the black cockade was generally worn. This was
the distinctive badge of the Federalists, and a response to the tricolor
which Adet had recommended all French citizens to wear in 1794.

On July 5 a resolution was moved to appoint a committee to consider the
expediency of declaring, by legislative act, the state of relations
between the United States and the French Republic. Mr. Gallatin asked if
a declaration of war could not be moved as an amendment, but the
speaker, Mr. Dayton, made no reply. Mr. Gallatin objected that Congress
could not declare a state of facts by a legislative act. But this view,
if tenable then, has long since been abandoned. In witness of which it
is only necessary to name the celebrated resolution of the Congress of
1865 with regard to the recognition of a monarchy in Mexico. July 6 the
House went into committee of the whole on the state of the Union to
consider a bill sent down by the Senate abrogating the treaty with
France. The bill was passed on the 16th by a vote of 47 ayes to 37 nays,
Gallatin voting in the negative. The House adjo