Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. I.djvu/133

 JOHN ADAMS 101 sioners sailed November 5. On reaching Paris, they found the directory overturned by Napoleon, with whom as first consul they succeeded in adjust ing the difficulties. This French mission completed the split in the federalist party, and made Mr. Adams s re-election impossible. The quarrel with the Hamiltonians had been further embittered by Adams s foolish attempt to prevent Hamilton s obtaining the rank of senior major-general, for which Washington had designated him, and it rose to fever-heat in the spring of 1800, when Mr. Adams dismissed his cabinet and selected a new one. Another affair contributed largely to the down fall of the federalist party. In 1798, during the height of the popular fury against France, the federalists in congress presumed too much upon their strength, and passed the famous alien and sedition acts. By the first of these acts, aliens were rendered liable to summary banishment from the United States at the sole discretion of the presi dent; and any alien who should venture to return from such banishment was liable to imprisonment at hard labor for life. By the sedition act, any scandalous or malicious writing against the presi dent or either house of congress was liable to be dealt with in the United States courts and punished by fine and imprisonment. This act contravened the constitutional amendment that forbids all in fringement of freedom of speech and of the press,