6425. PARTIES, Jay's Treaty and.—
You well know how strong a character of division
had been impressed on the Senate by
the British treaty. Common error, common
censure, and common efforts of defence had
formed the treaty majority into a common band,
which feared to separate even on other subjects.
Towards the close of the last Congress,
however, it had been hoped that their ties began
to loosen, and their phalanx to separate a little.
This hope was blasted at the very opening of the
present session, by the nature of the appeal
which the President made to the nation; the occasion
for which had confessedly sprung from
the fatal British treaty. This circumstance
rallied them again to their standard, and hitherto
we have had pretty regular treaty votes
on all questions of principle. And, indeed,
I fear, that as long as the same individuals remain,
so long we shall see traces of the same
division.—
To Aaron Burr. Washington ed. iv, 184.
Ford ed., vii, 145.
(Pa.,
June. 1797)
