the river, somewhere about
the lower end of the town, for the convenience of taking some things
on board, and would not depart yet. Jefferson was accordingly
impressed with the belief that the privateer would remain in the river
until the President should decide on her case, and, on communicating
this conviction to the governor, the latter ordered the militia to be
dismissed.

Washington arrived at Philadelphia on the 11th of July, when papers
requiring "instant attention" were put into his hands. They related to
the case of the Little Sarah, and were from Jefferson, who, being ill
with fever, had retired to his seat in the country. Nothing could
exceed the displeasure of Washington when he examined these papers. In
a cabinet council held the next day, it was determined to detain in
port all privateers which had been equipped within the United States
by any of the belligerent powers. No time was lost in communicating
this determination to Genet; but, in defiance of it, the vessel sailed
on her cruise. It must have been a severe trial of Washington's spirit
to see his authority thus braved and insulted, and to find that the
people, notwithstanding the indignity thus offered to their chief
magistrate, sided with the aggressors, and exulted in their open
defiance of his neutral policy.

Fresh mortifications awaited him, from the distempered state of public
sentiment. The trial came on of Gideon Henfield, an American citizen,
prosecuted under the advice of the Attorney-General, for having
enlisted, at Charleston, on board of a French privateer which had
brought prizes into the port of Philadelphia. The populace took part
with Henfield. He had enlisted before the proclamation of neutrality
had been published, and even if he had enlisted at a later date, was
he to be punished for engaging with their ancient ally, France, in the
cause of liberty against the royal despots of Europe? His acquittal
exposed Washington to the obloquy of having attempted a measure which
the laws would not justify. It showed him, moreover, the futility of
attempts at punishment for infractions of the rules proclaimed for the
preservation of neutrality; while the clamorous rejoicing by which the
acquittal of Henfield had been celebrated, evinced the popular
disposition to thwart that line of policy which he considered most
calculated to promote the public good. Nothing, however, could induce
him to swerve from that policy.

Hitherto Washington had