rapidly
spread by an eager band of acolytes, whose ranks were recruited until
the feeble opposition became a powerful party. Democratic societies,
organized on the plan of the French Jacobin clubs, extended French
influence, and no doubt were aided in a practical way by Genet, whose
recent marriage with the daughter of George Clinton, the head of the
Republican party in New York, was an additional link in the bond of
alliance.

During the second session of the third Congress Madison had led the
opposition in a mild manner; party lines were not yet strongly defined,
and the influence of Washington was paramount. In the interim between
its expiration and the meeting of the fourth Congress in December, the
country was wildly agitated by the Jay treaty. This document not
reaching America until after the adjournment of Congress in March,
Washington convened the Senate in extra and secret session on June 1,
and the treaty was ratified by barely two thirds majority. Imprudently
withheld for a time, it was at last made public by Senator Mason of
Virginia, one of the ten who voted against its ratification. It
disappointed the people, and was denounced as a weak and ignominious
surrender of American rights. The merchants of Boston, New York,
Philadelphia, and Charleston protested against it in public meetings. It
was burned, and the English flag was trailed in the dust before the
British minister's house at the capital. Jay was hung in effigy, and
Hamilton, who ventured to defend the treaty at a public meeting, was
stoned. To add to the popular indignation that the impressment of
American seamen had been ignored in the instrument, came the alarming
news that the British ministry had renewed their order to seize vessels
carrying provisions to France, whither a large part of the American
grain crop was destined. On the other hand, Randolph, the secretary of
state, had compromised the dignity of his official position in his
intercourse with Fauchet, the late French ambassador, whose
correspondence with his government, thrown overboard from a French
packet, had been fished up by a British man-of-war, and forwarded to
Grenville, by whom it was returned to America. Thus petard answered
petard, and the charge by the Republicans upon the Federalists of taking
British gold was returned with interest, and the accusation of receiving
bribe money was brought close home to Randolph, if not proved.

Hard names were not wanting either; Jeffe