This reply did not promise much success to their peacemaking efforts. But they were not discouraged, and persevered until they succeded in reconciling the antagonists, and winning all the glory from the strife in becoming "peacemakers."

CHAPTER SEVENTH.

CONGRESSIONAL CAREER.

My grandfather was elected a Representative in the seventh Congress in his thirty-seventh year. It was the first one that met in Washington, and was the precursor of many critical events in the history. of the nation. Jefferson had just been elected President by the preceding House of Representatives after a heated and doubtful contest with Colonel Aaron Burr, during which civil war had been talked of unless a choice was made. The whole policy of the government was on the eve of a revolution from the system inaugurated by Washington and advocated by the Federalists, of whom, as mentioned previously, my grandfather was one, and of whom General Schuyler was the acknowledged leader in New York. Harrison Gray Otis, his college correspondent, had been a member of the two preceding Congresses. He was re-elected for four successive terms thereafter, and served through the two terms of Jefferson and half of the first of Madison. Both houses were filled at that time with distinguished men from all parts of the nation, among whom were Rufus King, Governeur Morris, Philip V. Cortlandt, John Cotton Smith, James A. Bayard, John Randolph, James Madison,

Rutledge, Huger and Sumter, from South Carolina. Albert Gallatin, of a name famous in Geneva, Switzerland, began his distinguished career as Secretary of the Treasury, and Gideon Granger was made Postmaster-General. Henry Clay entered Congress just

as my grandfather was about to leave it.

The Constitution of the United States leaves to the Senators and Representatives to "ascertain by law" the amount to be paid them for their services; and the rate established by the fathers-$3 a day and twenty cents a mile-was moderate enough for those days. It cost my grandfather to get to Washington from Albany to his first session $58.06, and his expenses for three sessions averaged $361.33, while he received on an average only $324, and that not promptly paid. Board was $10 a week, a very high rate for that time, but ridiculously small for the habits of present Congressmen. Sometimes the members formed messes, and he seems to have been the treasurer of one composed of Generals Dayton and Morris, Colonel Sims and Messrs. Bayard, Walker, Thomas Morris, Campbell, Hill and Wood. The visiting card of the day varied from a model of simplicity to a piece of card-board impressed with elaborate designs of a nondescript character. "A: Burr," then Vice-President, wrote his name in his distinct, bold hand on one of the former, while that of "Mr. Madison" is inscribed in an elaborate border of filagree work adorned with flowers, a lute and guitars that of "Le Comte de Pahlen, Envoyé Ext: et Ministre Pleni: de S. M: l'Empereur de toutes les Russies," was engraved in the modern style. President Jefferson's invitations to dinner were printed

on coarse paper, and informed the recipient that "Thos. Jefferson requests the favour of Mr. Van R. to dine with him on-day next at 2 o'clock, or as soon thereafter as the adjournment of the House will permit; " the carrying out of which humble waiting on the pleasure and convenience of the House of Representatives must have elicited the patience as well as the skill of the "Aunty" who ruled in the Presidential kitchen. President Madison improved on the dinner hour, as follows: "J. Madison requests the favor of Mr. Van R. to dine with him on Tuesday next at four o'clock.” Another invitation recalls one of General Washington's closest friends, whom he persuaded to become a resident of Washington in its infancy, and who built the spacious mansion on the corner of New York avenue and Eighteenth street, which is one of the surviving relics of the primitive city, not having been destroyed by the British in 1814-Colonel Tayloe: "Mr. Tayloe requests the favor of Mr. Van Rensselaer to dine with him on Saturday next at 4 o'clock. The favour of an answer is requested. Wensday 9th febry." And the Plenipotentiary of the Czar of Russia sends an invitation: "Count Pahlen requests the honour of Mr. Van Rensselaer's company at dinner on Monday February 18th at half-past four o'clock. The favour of an answer is requested." The ambassador of Napoleon was not successful in getting the name of the Representative, as appears by the following: "General Turreau requests the favour of Mr. Wanrasselaer's company to dine on Wednesday next at four o'clock. Thursday, December 20th, 1810. An answer is requested."

My grandfather's commencement of his Congressional career was marked by a change from the custom of Washington in reading an address to the Congress in person, to that of the President's addressing a message, which has ever since been pursued. He was placed on the most important committee on Ways and Means. The pernicious policy of diminishing the number of years required for the naturalization of foreigners from fourteen to five was recommended by Jefferson and adopted by Congress; the perilous fruits of which we are reaping in the domination of foreign ideas and methods which threaten the very existence of the freedom which it cost our fathers so much blood and treasure to gain for us. Mr. Jefferson was opposed to the "spoils" system in appointing to public offices, nor can he justly be accused of inconsistency in his course; but his removals of Federalists from offices to which they had been appointed undoubtedly was the little end of the wedge which has played such havoc in our public service. The ten years of my grandfather's service in Congress were signalized by some of the most important crises in our national history, and he was called on to take part in meeting and shaping them. The purchase of Louisiana from France, beginning with a modest offer for the acquisition of New Orleans, and ending with the transfer of the vast territory west of the Mississippi, was the chief act of the Jefferson administration, which made the peaceable dissolution of the Union thenceforth impossible. On the recommendation of the President a sword and medals were voted to naval officers who had captured a Tripoli corsair after a fight, and thus made our flag respected by those