282. ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS, Report on.—
Yesterday witnessed a scandalous
scene in the House of Representatives.
It was the day for taking up the report of
their committee against the Alien and Sedition
laws, &c. They [the Federalists] held a
caucus and determined that not a word should
be spoken on their side, in answer to anything
which should be said on the other. Gallatin
took up the Alien, and Nicholas the Sedition
law; but after a little while of common silence,
they began to enter into loud conversations,
laugh, cough, &c., so that for the last
hour of these gentlemen's speaking, they must
have had the lungs of a vendue master to
have been heard. Livingston, however, attempted
to speak. But after a few sentences,
the Speaker called him to order, and told him
what he was saying was not to the question.
It was impossible to proceed. The question
was carried in favor of the report, 52 to 48;
the real strength of the two parties is 56 to 50.—
To James Madison. Washington ed. iv, 298.
Ford ed., vii, 371.
(Pa.,
Feb. 1799)
