s standing were there not an authentic record made by himself. The
suspense finally became so intolerable that the Cabinet acted without
consulting the President any longer on the point. The Secretary of War
submitted to his colleagues all the correspondence in the case and asked
their advice. The Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, and of the Navy
made a joint reply declaring "the only inference which we can draw
from the facts before stated, is, that the President consents to the
arrangement of rank as proposed by General Washington," and that therefore
"the Secretary of War ought to transmit the commissions, and inform the
generals that in his opinion the rank is definitely settled according to
the original arrangement." This was done; but Knox declined an appointment
ranking him below Hamilton and Pinckney. Thus, Adams despite his
obstinacy, was completely baffled, and a bitter feud between him and his
Cabinet was added to the causes now at work to destroy the Federalist
party.

The Federalist military measures were sound and judicious, and the
expense, although a subject of bitter denunciation, was really trivial
in comparison with the national value of the enhanced respect and
consideration obtained for American interests. But these measures were
followed by imprudent acts for regulating domestic politics. By the Act of
June 18,1798, the period of residence required before an alien could be
admitted to American citizenship was raised from five years to fourteen.
By the Act of June 25, 1798, the efficacy of which was limited to two
years, the President might send out of the country "such aliens as he
shall judge dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States, or
shall have reasonable grounds to suspect are concerned in any treasonable
or secret machinations against the government thereof." The state of
public opinion might then have sanctioned these measures had they stood
alone, but they were connected with another which proved to be the weight
that pulled them all down. By the Act of July 14, 1798, it was made a
crime to write or publish "any false, scandalous, and malicious"
statements about the President or either House of Congress, to bring them
"into contempt or disrepute," or to "stir up sedition within the United
States."

There were plenty of precedents in English history for legislation of such
character. Robust examples of it were supplied in England at that very
time. There were also strong