Page:Republican Court by Rufus Griswold.djvu/340

only pay to it themselves the strictest regard, but discountenance in the most pointed manner any contrary disposition in others. Washington replied with his usual dignity and judgment, trusting that the people would evince as much prudence in preserving peace at that critical juncture as they had previously displayed valor in vindicating their just rights.

On the eighteenth an address from the democrats was offered to Genet, at the City Tavern, by Charles Biddle and others, with tumultuous exhibitions of popular enthusiasm; and on the twenty-third a public dinner was given at Oeller's hotel, at which the minister is said to have sung, "with great energy and effect, a song adapted to the occasion and replete with truly patriotic and republican sentiments." Soon after, the bonnet rouge was placed on his head, and subsequently, in turn, upon the head of each person at the table, every one offering, while sensible of its inspiration, a "patriotic sentiment." No such "frenzy," to use Mr. Jefferson's favorite expression, has ever since been known in America.

Democratic societies were founded in imitation of Jacobin clubs; every thing that was respectable in society was denounced as aristocratic; politeness was looked upon as a sort of lese republicanisme; the common forms of expression in use by the sans culottes were adopted by their American disciples; the title citizen became as common in Philadelphia as in Paris, and in the newspapers it was the fashion to announce marriages as partnerships between citizen Brown, Smith, or Jones, and the citess who had been wooed to such an association. Entering the house of the President, citizen Genet was astonished and indignant at perceiving in the vestibule a bust of Louis XVI., whom his friends had beheaded, and he complained of this "insult to France." At a dinner, at which Governor Mifflin was present, a roasted pig received the name of the murdered king, and the head, severed from the body, was carried round to each of