While the bill was pending in the Senate, Mr.Samuel Smith moved to continue the act to suspend commercial intercourse with France.

Mr.Gallatin opposed this motion; at the last session he had voted for this bill because there was only the appearance of a treaty.

Now that the precise state of negotiation was known, why should the House longer leave this matter to the discretion of the President?
The House decided to reject the indiscreet bill by a vote of 59 to 37.

An effort was also made to repeal a part of the Sedition Law, and continue the rest in force, but the House refused to order the engrossing of the bill, taking wise counsel of Dawson, who said that, supported by the justice and policy of their measures, the approaching administration would not need the aid of either the alien, sedition, or common law.

The opponents of the bill would not consent to any modification.