meant to be
the allies, of France. Of course the French were all the more
exasperated because they had permitted themselves to be deluded. Monroe
was first rebuked by his own government for neglecting to do all that
might have been done to reconcile the Directory to a treaty between the
United States and Great Britain; and soon after, his conduct continuing
unsatisfactory, he was recalled.

It is, of course, possible that the French Directory were not misled;
that nothing would have reconciled them to the British treaty; and that
their subsequent course would have been the same had they believed the
American people were desirous to be on good terms with England solely
for their own tranquillity and interest, and not at all because any
large portion of them were at enmity with France. This, however, would
not be a valid excuse for Monroe's course as a representative of his
government. The only defense for him is, that he was deceived by his
friends at home; they must share, therefore, the responsibility for his
conduct, inasmuch as they encouraged a man not over strong in mind or
character, and more likely to be governed by impulse than by good
judgment, to abuse the confidence placed in him by the administration.

From any share in this responsibility, however, Madison must be
relieved. He was in very constant correspondence with Monroe, and kept
him carefully advised as to the progress of the treaty. No man desired
its defeat more earnestly than he, and he believed that a majority of
the people were opposed to it. But he evidently doubted its rejection
from the first, and his discussion of possibilities in his letters to
Monroe was always frank and discriminating. In the end he accounted for
the vote in its favor in the House of Representatives by the activity
and influence of its friends, which its opponents wanted the ability or
the time to overcome. It is probable that his colleagues of his own
party in the House did not agree with him that public opinion was
against the treaty, as it was by votes from their side that its
acceptance was carried.

[Illustration: D P Madison]

With the ensuing session of Congress, at the close of Washington's
administration, Madison's congressional service ended. The leadership of
the opposition, whatever may be thought of its influence upon the
welfare of the country, or of the personal motives by which he may have
been governed, had devolved upon him, almost from the beginning,