titutions; and the partiality
of America in favour of a senate was visibly declining.

In this stage of the revolution, however, the division of sentiment
was not marked with sufficient distinctness, nor the passions of the
people agitated with sufficient violence, for any powerful effect to
be produced on the two parties in America. But when the monarchy was
completely overthrown, and a republic decreed,[67] the people of the
United States seemed electrified by the measure, and its influence was
felt by the whole society. The war in which the several potentates of
Europe were engaged against France, although in almost every instance
declared by that power, was pronounced to be a war for the extirpation
of human liberty, and for the banishment of free government from the
face of the earth. The preservation of the constitution of the United
States was supposed to depend on its issue; and the coalition against
France was treated as a coalition against America also.

[Footnote 67: This event was announced to the President by
the minister plenipotentiary of France at Philadelphia, in
February, 1793. Through the secretary of state, an answer
was returned, of which the following is an extract, "the
President receives with great satisfaction this attention of
the executive council, and the desire they have manifested
of making known to us the resolution entered into by the
national convention even before a definitive regulation of
their new establishment could take place. Be assured, sir,
that the government and the citizens of the United States,
view with the most sincere pleasure, every advance of your
nation towards its happiness, an object essentially
connected with its liberty, and they consider the union of
principles and pursuits between our two countries as a link
which binds still closer their interests and affections.

"We earnestly wish, on our part, that these our mutual
dispositions may be improved to mutual good, by establishing
our commercial intercourse on principles as friendly to
natural right and freedom as are those of our governments."]

A cordial wish for the success of the French arms, or rather that the
war might terminate without any diminution of French power, and in
such a manner as to leave the people of that country free to choose
their own form of government, was, perhaps, universal; but, respecting