1794 which divided the American press very distinctly in the matter of editorial opinion. Practically every Federal news- paper gave a column or two in support of the treaty. On the other hand, the Republican-Democratic press fairly teemed with criticism which was both coarse and spiteful in its attacks on the Administration. These editorial reproaches, expressed to quote Washington's own words "in such exaggerated and indecent terms as could scarcely be applied to a Nero, to a no- torious defaulter, or even to a common pickpocket," did much to strengthen his determination to retire to Mount Vernon, for Washington had become extremely sensitive to newspaper rebuke. Perceiving this, Jefferson, toward the last, did what he could to stem the torrent of newspaper abuse, but the flood was at high tide and could not be dammed. Federal newspapers, however, were more successful in their attempts to dam the Republican press.
PRESIDENTS VS. PRESS
When John Adams became President in 1797 he was even more severely attacked in the press than Washington had been. But his Administration fought the attacks. Armed by the Sedi- tion Law, which was passed the following year and which has already been outlined, it sought to annihilate the Republican papers which it could not force to surrender. In the fight, which lasted four years, the Federal Party lost, for the people rallied to the support of the papers and defeated Adams in the election of 1800 by putting Thomas Jefferson in the presidential chair. Jefferson remitted many of the fines imposed upon Republican editors, but was later forced to commence suits for libels upon himself by Federal editors.
Federal papers bitterly attacked Jefferson for the Louisiana Purchase on the ground that he had trampled on the Consti- tution which granted him no such power to acquire additional territory: some of the most radical sheets suggested that the States where the Federals were in the majority should secede from the Union. Jefferson's Embargo Policy alienated some of his own party organs especially in Virginia where the to- bacco-growers had been hard hit by the Embargo. Jefferson
