States.

It was argued that the intentions of France were not really hostile;
that men under British influence, who wished for war, had misrepresented
her conduct; that, admitting her position to be hostile, she only
demanded those marks of friendship which, at a critical moment, she had
herself afforded America; that the real interests of the United States
required a compliance with the demands of the Directory for a loan and a
bribe; that it would cost more money to resist than to comply; that
resistance would be inevitably ineffectual; and that national honor was
never secured by national defeat.

But such logic, degrading and unpatriotic in tendency, did not suit the
temper of the American people at that time. A war-spirit was aroused
not easily to be appeased, except by the ministrations of justice. In
Congress, vigorous measures for defence and retaliation were adopted.
Means for administering chastisement for injuries received, and for
repelling those which were threatened, were provided with willing
alacrity. A regular army was authorized. A regiment of artillerists and
engineers was added to the permanent establishment; and the president
was authorized to raise twelve additional regiments of infantry and one
regiment of cavalry, to serve during the continuance of existing
difficulties with France, if not sooner discharged. He was also
authorized to appoint officers for a provisional army, and to receive
and organize volunteer corps, which should be exempt from ordinary
militia duty.

These measures of Congress were fully approved by the great mass of the
people. The president received addresses from all parts of the Union,
whose spirit attested the patriotic sentiment of the nation; and the
executive, in turn, warmed by like sentiments, made responses that
sustained the ardor of the people.

Then arose spontaneously in every mind the question, "Who shall command
our army in this crisis?" and in every mind was the same response. All
hearts turned instinctively toward Washington as the only man in the
nation fitted for that important trust. The loud, harsh voice of party
spirit was hushed to a whisper; and men who had joined in the clamor of
reproach against the late president because of his public measures, were
among the first, in this hour of peril, to turn to him as the only
leader in whom they might implicitly trust. Intimations of this nature
reached Washington almost daily while Congress were busy in p