Page:Republican Court by Rufus Griswold.djvu/355

self; and by the Jacobins, because they never like your speaking." He was so feeble that it seemed impossible for him to take any active part in the business of the session, and it is doubtful whether he intended, up to the morning of the day when his famous oration was pronounced, to say more than a few words on the subject; but the exhibitions of ignorance and dishonesty by the enemies of the government compelled him to that sudden and splendid attempt for the honor of his country, which, even in the imperfect and unworthy report of it which was written out from memory by two of his friends, stands as a sufficient vindication of the traditional fame of his eloquence. John Adams heard it, and gave a graphic account of it in a letter to his wife, "Judge Iredell and I happened to sit together. Our feelings beat in unison. 'My God, how great he is!' says Iredell; 'how great he has been!' 'He has been noble,' said I. After some time Iredell breaks out, 'Bless my stars, I never heard any thing so great since I was born!' 'It is divine!' said I; and thus we went on with our interjections, not to say our tears, till the end. Tears enough were shed. Not a dry eye, I believe, in the house, except of some of the jackasses who had occasioned a necessity of the oratory. These attempted to laugh, but their visages 'grinned horribly ghastly smiles.' They smiled like Foulon's son-in-law when they made him kiss his father's dead and bleeding head. The situation of the man excited compassion, and interested all hearts in his favor. The ladies wished his soul had a better body."

The friends of the treaty were mobbed, and Mr. Jay himself was burned in effigy in several cities. In Philadelphia the rabble, led by some persons of respectable official or social positions, held a meeting in one of the public squares, and passed demagogue resolutions against it. The treaty was thrown from the select agitators on a stage to the canaille, who placed it on a pole, and proceeded