directed at once that all disputes with the United States should be settled, and consequently a new Treaty was made in September, 1800, which restored the old relations of amity between the two countries. During the Session which closed in July, 1798, Congress passed two Acts which obtained great notoriety. These were the famous "Alien and "Sedition laws.

The Act concerning aliens empowered the President to order any foreigner he considered "dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, or suspected of being engaged in any treasonable machinations. against the Government thereof, to depart out of the country." The motive of this Act was the notorious fact that not only Foreign Ministers, more especially those of France, but a herd of political writers both French and English were actively engaged in traducing the Government and policy of the United States, and seeking to sow discord among its citizens. This abuse Congress deemed it necessary to check.

This enactment was followed up by another called the Sedition Law," which was levelled at any one, foreign or native, who should either endeavor to stir up riots and insurrections; or who should "write, print, utter, and publish any false, scandalous, or malicious writing," against the Government, Congress, or President of the United States.

These laws were meant to restrain the truculence of party writers, the most unscrupulous of whom were foreigners: laws which had the sanction of Washing

*

* Among the most conspicuous of these literary adventurers were Freneau, of the National Gazette, Philadelphia,- a Frenchman; J. Duane, of the Aurora, Philadelphia,-an Irishman; T. Callender, of the

ton, Patrick Henry, and many eminent patriots. The "Alien Act" was never enforced, as its passage induced the most obnoxious foreigners to quit the country at once. Several prosecutions took place under the "Sedition Law." Fine and imprisonment were imposed by both these laws.

Whatever the necessity for these enactments, the shrewd leaders of the Republican party thought them admirably adapted for political agitation, and the signal was given to begin a relentless war against them. It was declared by them that the "Alien and "Sedition" laws were "palpable and alarming infractions of the Constitution," and their party organs all over the country taking up the cry resounded with the loudest denunciations of the Federalist party which had passed them.

With a view to give more effect to this political onslaught on their rivals, Mr. Madison, at the request of Mr. Jefferson, introduced into the Legislature of Virginia, December, 1798, a series of Resolutions solemnly declaring "the Alien and Sedition laws to be in violation of the Constitution." These Resolutions were ordered to be transmitted to the Governors of the other States to be laid before their respective Legislatures.

Not content with this broadside against the peccant Federalists, Mr. Jefferson, the head and front of the

Examiner, Richmond,-a Scotchman. This latter was an instrument of Jefferson, who refused, when he became President, to make him postmaster at Richmond. In anger, Callender published numerous letters of Jefferson, proving he had been his political tool. William Cobbett, of the Porcupine Gazette, Philadelphia, was an Englishman. Being condemned to $5,000 damages in a libel suit, he left the country in 1800.

Republican party, drew up with his own hand another set of Resolutions which were laid by his allies before the Legislature of Kentucky, and were passed before those of Virginia, November, 1798. These Kentucky Resolutions of Mr. Jefferson turned out another Pandora's box, for they contained the germ of that political heresy since so sadly known as the doctrine of Nullification.

These Resolutions declared:

"That the Union was

a compact between the States, as States, instead of the people of the several States."

This was in contradiction to the preamble of the Constitution, which begins, "We, the people of the United States."

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They further declared :—" That, as in other cases of compact between parties having no common judge, each party has an equal right to judge for itself, as well of the infractions, as of the mode and measure of redress."

This denied the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, whose prerogative it is to pronounce on the constitutionality of any Federal law.

In conformity to these views of State-rights, the Resolutions affirmed "the Alien and Sedition Acts to be, not law, but altogether void and of no force." It was further asserted :-"That when powers are assumed which have not been delegated, a Nullification of the Act is the right remedy, and that every State has a natural right to nullify of its own authority all assumptions of power by others within its limits."

As Mr. Jefferson was the author of these Kentucky Resolutions, he must be regarded as the father of the doctrine of Nullification, which from that time became

the favourite dogma of many Politicians of the Southern States. It may be that Mr. Jefferson entertained an honest dread of the undue supremacy of the Federal Government over the States, but the failure of the first Union known as the "Confederation" proved that if the States retained their complete independence, anarchy and civil war were inevitable. . To obviate this, as we saw, a new Union was organized which gave the Federal Government a preponderance over the States, and furnished it with the necessary coercive power to enforce its supremacy. The powers delegated to the Federal Government by the framers of the Constitution of 1789 show that it was their intention to limit the Sovereignty of the States, and to make the Federal authority Supreme. In case of dispute between the Federal and State Governments as to the constitutionality of any Federal law, a High Court was created to pronounce its solemn fiat thereon. Yet in the face of these recent and undeniable facts Mr. Jefferson in 1798 was guilty of the flat heresy recorded in the above Resolutions. He was too clear-headed not to know he was setting up a false idol, but his zeal as a Politician overcame his reason and his patriotism.

The Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions were duly communicated to the other States, but met with no response. The Legislatures of Delaware, New York, and New England disclaimed them.

The real object of the Republican leaders, however, was achieved. They inflamed the popular mind against the Alien and Sedition Acts, and the chances of Mr. Jefferson in the next election were increased.

Another event still more serious rendered the reelection of Mr. Adams doubtful. In his negotiations

with France, he acted in opposition to the views of the majority of his Cabinet, and of several influential Federalists, notably General Hamilton and Gouverneur Morris. This led to a schism in his party. In May, 1800, the President demanded the resignation of the Secretaries of State and War. John Marshall of Virginia, and S. Dexter of Massachusetts, were called to succeed them. This only made the breach more irreparable. As the Presidential election of 1800 approached, the Federalist leaders opposed to Mr. Adams plotted to obtain the majority of the electoral votes for C. C. Pinckney, the Federalist candidate for the Vice-Presidency. The manoeuvre failed. The Republican candidates, Jefferson and Burr, received each 73 votes; the Federalist candidates, Adams and Pinckney, 65 and 64 votes. As there was a tie between Jefferson and Burr, the election of President devolved by the Constitution on the House of Representatives.

It was during the Presidency of Mr. Adams, in the summer of 1800, that the seat of Government was transferred from Philadelphia to the city of Washington.