2978. FEDERALISTS, Republicans and.—[further continued] .
The revolutionary movements
in Europe had, by industry and artifice,
been wrought into objects of terror even to
this country, and had really involved a great
portion of our well-meaning citizens in a panic
which was perfectly unaccountable, and during
the prevalence of which they were led
to support measures the most insane. They
are now pretty thoroughly recovered from it,
and sensible of the mischief which was done,
and preparing to be done, had their minds
continued a little longer under that derangement.
The recovery bids fair to be complete,
and to obliterate entirely the line of party
division which had been so strongly drawn.
Not that their late leaders have come over,
or even can come over. But they stand, at
present, almost without followers. The principal
of them have retreated into the judiciary
as a stronghold, the tenure of which renders
it difficult to dislodge them.
To Joel Barlow. Washington ed. iv, 369.
(W.
March. 1801)
