impudent reply was there would be no
stoppage until the men who controlled the French government were paid
large sums of money. This exasperating notice brought the answer from
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney which has become historical: "Millions for
defense, but not one cent for tribute."

Although war was not declared, it prevailed on the ocean during the
latter half of 1798. Congress convened, abolished the treaties with
France, strengthened the navy, and ordered it to attack French vessels
wherever found. Several engagements took place, in all of which the
French men-of-war were whipped "to a standstill." The most important of
the naval battles was between the _Constitution_, under Commodore
Truxton, and the French frigate _L'Insurgente_, in which the latter was
captured. A messenger was sent to Mount Vernon, carrying the appointment
of Washington as commander-in-chief of the American army. He found the
great man in the harvest field; but when Washington donned his
spectacles and read the paper, he replied that he was then as always
ready to serve his country in whatever capacity he could. He accepted
with the understanding that he was not to be called into the field until
actual hostilities took place on the land, and that Alexander Hamilton
should until then be the commander-in-chief.

Doubtless a destructive war would have resulted, but for the fact that
Napoleon Bonaparte, as a stepping-stone to his marvelous career,
overturned the French government and installed himself as emperor. He
saw the folly of a war with the United States, when he was certain soon
to be embroiled with more powerful neighbors near home. He offered fair
terms of peace to our country in 1799, and they were accepted.

THE ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS.

One of the gravest mistakes made by the Federalists in Congress was the
passage of the Alien and Sedition Laws. Irritated by the mischief-making
of foreigners, a law was enacted which permitted the President to arrest
any alien in the country whose presence he considered dangerous. The
acts under which this was to be done were known as the Alien Laws. The
most detested measure, however, was that which authorized the arrest of
any person who should speak evil of the government, and was known as the
Sedition Law. There were arrests and punishments under its provisions,
and the majority of the people were bitterly hostile to it. It was
unquestionably a direct invasion of the liberty of speech. The