eat influence in securing, though by a very
narrow majority, the vote of the House in favor of the appropriation.

There is some difficulty in fixing on any completely representative
oration to represent the republican point of view covering this period.
Gallatin's speech on the Jay Treaty together with Nicholas' argument for
the repeal of the sedition law may serve this purpose. The speech of
Nicholas shows the instinctive sympathy of the party for the individual
rather than for the government. It shows the force with which this
sympathy drove the party into a strict construction of the Constitution.
It seems also to bear the strongest internal indications that it was
inspired, if not entirely written, by the great leader of the party,
Jefferson. The federalists had used the popular war feeling against
France in 1798, not only to press the formation of an army and a navy
and the abrogation of the old and trouble-some treaties with France, but
to pass the alien and sedition laws as well. The former empowered the
President to expel from the country or imprison any alien whom he should
consider dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States. The
latter forbade, under penalty of fine and imprisonment, the printing or
publishing of any "false, scandalous, or malicious writings" calculated
to bring the Government, Congress, or the President into disrepute, or
to excite against them the hatred of the good people of the United
States, or to stir up sedition. It was inevitable that the republicans
should oppose such laws, and that the people should support them in
their opposition. At the election of 1800, the federal party was
overthrown, and the lost ground was never regained. With Jefferson's
election to the presidency, began the democratic period of the United
States; but it has always been colored strongly and naturally by the
federal bias toward law and order.

ALBERT GALLATIN,

OF PENNSYLVANIA. (BORN 1761, DIED 1849.)

ON THE BRITISH TREATY

--HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL 26, 1796.

MR. CHAIRMAN:

I will not follow some of the gentlemen who have preceded me, by
dwelling upon the discretion of the legislature; a question which has
already been the subject of our deliberations, and been decided by a
solemn vote. Gentle-men who were in the minority on that question may
give any construction they please to the declaratory resolution of the
House; they may again repeat that to refuse to carry th