"His argument ... was one of the most able ... I ever heard." (Plumer, Feb. 21, 1805, "Diary," Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
[542] Feb. 22, 1805, _Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 356.
[543] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 394-413; see also _Chase Trial_, 149-62; and Cutler, II, 184.
[544] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 413-29; _Chase Trial_, 162-72.
[545] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 429-82; _Chase Trial_, 173 _et seq._
[546] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 483.
[547] _Ib._ 484-87.
[548] See resume of Franklin"s indictment of the press in vol. I, 268-69, of this work.
[549] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 488; _Chase Trial_, *223.
[550] "Mr. Martin really possesses much legal information & a great fund of good humour, keen satire & poignant wit ... he certainly has talents." (Plumer, Feb. 23, 1805, "Diary," Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
[551] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 489; _Chase Trial_, *224.
[552] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 556; _Chase Trial_, *205-44.
[553] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 560-62; _Chase Trial_, 237 _et seq._
[554] See Jefferson to Hay, _infra_, chap. VIII.
[555] See _infra_, chap. X.
[556] _Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 358.
[557] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 582; _Chase Trial_, 237-43.
[558] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 583.
This was an under-statement of the facts; for the first time the celebration of Washington"s birthday was abandoned in the National Capital. (Plumer, 326.) Plumer says that this was done because the celebration might hurt Chase, "for there are senators who for the veriest trifles may be brought to vote against him." (Feb. 22, 1805, "Congress," Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
[559] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 583-84; _Chase Trial_, 243-56.
[560] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 585-87.
[561] Rodney here refers to the Republican allegation that Chase tried to secure appointment as Chief Justice by flattering Adams through charges to juries, rulings in court, and speeches on the stump.
[562] John Jay to England and Oliver Ellsworth to France. (See vol. II, 113, 502, of this work.)
[563] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 587-89.
[564] _Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 359.
[565] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 583-641; _Chase Trial_, 243-56.
[566] Cutler announced it as "an outrageous, infuriated declamation, which might have done honor to Marat, or Robespierre." (Cutler, II, 184.)
[567] _Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 359.
[568] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 642; _Chase Trial_, 256.
[569] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 644; _Chase Trial_, 257.
[570] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 644-45; _Chase Trial_, 258.
[571] See _infra_, chap. X.
[572] See _supra_, 196.
[573] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 651-52; _Chase Trial_, 266.
[574] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 641-62. John Quincy Adams notes in his diary that Randolph spoke for more than two hours "with as little relation to the subject matter as possible--without order, connection, or argument; consisting altogether of the most hackneyed commonplaces of popular declamation." Throughout, records Adams, there was "much distortion of face and contortion of body, tears, groans and sobs."
(_Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 359.)
"His speech ... was devoid of argument, method or consistency--but was replete with invective & even vulgarity.... I never heard him deliver such a weak feeble & deranged harangue." (Plumer to his wife, Feb. 28, 1805, Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
"After he sat down--he threw his feet upon the table--distorted his features & a.s.sumed an appearance as disgusting as his harangue."
(Plumer, Feb. 27, 1805, "Diary," Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
[575] See _supra_, chaps. II and III; _infra_, chap. VI, and vol. IV, chap. I.
[576] "There was a vast concourse of people ... and great solemnity."
(Cutler to Torrey, March 1, 1805, Cutler, II, 193.) "The galleries were crowded--many ladies. I never witnessed so general & so deep an anxiety." (Plumer to his wife, March 1, 1805, Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
[577] Plumer, 323.
[578] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 665-69; _Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 362-63.
[579] _Ib._ 363.
[580] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 669. By this time Burr had changed to admiration the disapproval with which the Federalist Senators had, at first, regarded his conduct of the trial. "Mr. Burr has certainly, on the whole, done himself, the Senate, and the Nation honor by the dignified manner in which he has presided over this high and numerous court," testifies Senator Plumer, notwithstanding his deep prejudice against Burr. (Plumer, March 1, 1805, "Diary," Plumer MSS. Lib. Cong.)
[581] See Adams: _U.S._ II, 243.
[582] See Plumer, 324; _Memoirs, J. Q. A._: Adams, I, 371; Adams: _John Randolph_, 131-32, 152; Channing: _Jeff. System_, 120; Adams: _U.S._ II, 243.
[583] Plumer here adds six years to Chase"s age--an unusual inaccuracy in the diary of that born newspaper reporter.
[584] Plumer to his son, March 3, 1805, Plumer, 325.
[585] _Annals_, 8th Cong. 2d Sess. 1213; and see _Annual Report, Am.
Hist. a.s.sn. 1896_, II, 64; also Adams: _U.S._ II, 240.