In the beginning of John Adams's administration, the passage of the alien and sedi; tiott laws by the dominant federal majority gave rise to vigorous protests from the state legislatures of Kentucky and Virginia. The latter are known in history- as the resolu tions of 1798-99, and were drawn by 3Iadison. thointh he IVLS not a member of the state legislature. They now stand among, the highest authorities on constitutional construc tion. Animadversions upon these drew from Madison the following winter a report in which he fortifies the positions taken in the resolutions by a state paper of signal vigor of style and exhaustive analysis of the reason and philosophy of the resolutions. Though few of the states followed the bold stand of Virginia at this time, the act of congress which called out the resolutions speedily fell into disrepute, and the legal position assumed by- 31adison became, a few years later, the settled law of public opinion.
On the inauguration of JefferSon as president in 1801, Madison was made secretary of state, and retained this ministerial position during the whole eight years of Jefferson's: administration. The harmony of his principles with those of the president produced a unity and ability of administration rarely continued for so long IL period. It is, how ever, a curious illustration of the accident of events that during the whole thne when gratitude, honor,*and policy all required the most cordial relations to be maintained with France, and the most spirited opposition to the continued domineering policy of Eng land, the federal policy had permitted a craven treaty to be made with the latter, and an offensive form of neutrality to be needlessly pushed in the face of our revolutionary ally; while noW that the friends of that ally were in power, the tyrannous domination of Napoleon in the government of France had taken front our national sympathy its real object—to honor liberty and republicanism. At the close of Jefferson's term, _Madison was the leading candidate of the republican party for his successor, and received in the electoral college 122 ont of 175' votes. He was inaugurated president, Mar. 4, 1809. He made Roger Smith of Maryland secretary of state until April 2, 1811, when he was succeeded by James Monroe of Virginia; Albert Gallatin of Pennsylvania secretary of the treasury till Feb. 9, 1814, when lie was succeeded by George W. Campbell of Tennessee; for secretary of war, William Eustis of Massachusetts till Jan. 13, 1813, when James Mon roe acted as secretary of war, ad interim, till the appointment of W. H. Crawford, Mar. 3, 1815; for secretary of the navy, Paul Hamiltdn of South Carolina, till Jan. 12, 1813; succeeded by William Jones of Pennsylvania, till Dec. 17, 1814, and then by B. W. Crowninshielci of 3fassachusetts; for postmaster-general, Gideon Granger of New York, succeeded by R. J. Meigs of Ohio; for attorney-general, successively, Cwsar A. Rodney of Delaware, William Pinckney of Maryland, and Richard Rush of Pennsylvania. The continued arrogance of British claims and acts of interference with American com merce, the seizure and impressment of sailors from American merchant ships, had brought the United States to the verge of war with Great Britain when Madison's administration began. An embargo on British commerce was ordered, followed by a non-intercourse act of congress, prohibiting commerce with France or England until the British orders in council relating to seizure of neutral vessels and impressment of sea men should be repealed; and the decrees of the French emperor concerning the rights of neutrals should be rescinded. Embroilments between the British minister and the American secretary of state followed. Madison requested the recall of the obnoxious minister. The English government recalled him but sent no other in his place. In Aug
ust the French emperor revoked the obnoxious commercial decree, and in November Madison issued a proclamation for the renewal of trade with France, and of non-inter course with England. But Napoleon's irritating marithne practices continued; and the prospect was imminent that the national dignity would require a state of war with both England and France. Madison made every effort to preserve peace, and prepared for war. Congress appropriated $1,000,000 for naval and military preparations. On June 1, 1812, he transmitted a special message to congress, reviewing the aggressions of Great Britain, and left it to the judgment of congress to declare war. It was done, and the president signed the declaration of war, June 18, 1812, and issued a proclamation to the people. June 23 following, Great Britain, before the news of the declaration had reached her government, repealed the most obnoxious of her orders in council., Mon roe, secretary of state, before the British action could be known, subsiitted to the American minister in London terms of a proposition for an armistice to be suggested to the government. The London government refused the required concessions, aud the American minister returned home. Admiral Warren, of the British navy, was sent out to negotiate with the American government ; but yielding no promise to stop the impress ment of _American seamen, the war began. In Feb., 1813, a British fleet was in Chesa peake bay, and the whole coast of the United States was declared in a state of blockade. Madison bad been elected the autumn before for his second term as president, by a vote of 128 in the electoral college to 89 for De Witt Clinton. IIis inauguration, Mar. 4, 1813, found the war fairly opened. The same month Alexander I. of Russia offered his mediation for peace, -which was accepted by the United States and refused by Grciat Britain in Sep tember; but in November she signified a willingness to treat. In Jan., 1814, Henry Clay and Mr. Russell were sent to England for that purpose. but no progress was made, and in August the British troops captured and burned the public buildings of Washington, including the president's house The damages inflicted on British commerce by our privateers, and the battle of New Orleans, brought about a treaty of peace, which was signed by the United States commissioners at Ghent, Dec. 24, 1814. But it contained no concession of the British claim to impress seamen; which, however, though not yielded in theory, was abandoned in fact. The country had made brilliant successes in naval battles with English ships, and had acquitted itself not without honor in its land engagements; but the war developed a low order of patriotism on the part of the com mercial or maritime interests of the country, which not only impaired its vigor. but pressed for peace with mercenary baste. The last three years of Madison's administra tion were marked by, no important events, unless his concession to the establishment of a national bank, which he had always opposed, and once vetoed, may be considered one. Its subsequent dishonorable history was a proof of the soundness of his previous objections. Mr. Madison retired from public life with the close of the presidential term, Mar. 4, 1817, to his farm at _Montpelier, Va., where he lived his remaining years happy in domestic affection, sOcial enjoynients, farming, and literary labdrs. In 1829 he per formed his last public service, as a member of the Virginia constitutional convention, where his frail and venerable figure and broken voice received the homage of the most profound attention and respect. His wife survived him, living to the age of 82, and died in Washington, July 12, 1849.