however, the vote should pass to reject, and a spirit should rise, as it
will, with the public disorders, to make 'confusion worse confounded,'
even I, slender and almost broken as my hold upon life is, may outlive
the government and constitution of my country."

With this touching peroration Mr. Ames closed his remarkable speech, and
sat down. For a brief moment there was perfect silence in the house.
"Judge Iredell and I happened to sit together," wrote Vice-President
Adams, describing the scene. "Our feelings beat in unison. 'My God! how
great he is,' says Iredell; 'how great he has been!'--'Noble!' said I.
After some time Iredell breaks out, 'Bless my stars! I never heard
anything so great since I was born.'--'Divine!' said I; and thus we went
on with our interjections, not to say tears, to the end. Tears enough
were shed. Not a dry eye, I believe, in the house, except some of the
jackasses who had occasioned the necessity of the oratory. These
attempted to laugh, but their visages 'grinned horribly ghastly smiles.'
They smiled like Foulon's son-in-law when they made him kiss his
father's dead and bleeding hand. Perhaps the speech may not read as
well. The situation of the man excited compassion, and interested all
hearts in his favor. The ladies wished his soul had a better body."[96]

The vote was about to be taken, immediately after the conclusion of
Ames's speech, when the opposition, alarmed on account of the effect it
had probably produced, carried an adjournment. There was a little
speaking upon the subject the next day, but no one dared to attempt an
answer to Ames's words, or assail his positions. The vote stood
forty-nine to forty-nine, when General Muhlenburg, chairman of the
committee of the whole, decided the matter by casting his vote for the
resolution. It was reported to the house on the thirteenth of May, and,
after some delay, the resolution, unamended, declaring that it was
expedient to pass laws necessary for carrying the treaty into effect,
was adopted, fifty-one to forty-eight, the northern members voting for
and the southern against it.

FOOTNOTES:

[91] Life of Washington.

[92] He referred to Livingston, the author of the resolutions before the
house, who was one of the leaders of the populace in New York when
Hamilton and King were stoned, while speaking in favor of the treaty, at
a public meeting.

[93] The following is a copy of Washington's message to the house of
representative