acted under existing laws and with responsibilities which were defined by
them. If Congress saw fit to make new laws, the consequences would fall
upon his successor in office, not upon him since he was about to retire.
If Congress made fetters for the Secretary, it might even be that some
member of Giles's own party would have to wear them. Thus, however Giles's
latest proposal might be viewed, it was not attractive. Moreover, it was
presented at a time when the House had much more urgent matters to
consider. The country was wild with excitement over the retaliating orders
and decrees of Great Britain and France, which subjected American
interests to injury from both sides. Giles and Page appear to have been
the only speakers on the resolution when it was taken up for consideration
on February 24, 1794, and both disclaimed any intention of reflecting
upon Hamilton. The resolution received decent interment by reference to a
committee, with no one objecting. The practical conclusion of the matter
was that Hamilton had beaten his enemies once more and beaten them
thoroughly.

Before resigning his office, Hamilton added still another great
achievement to his record of illustrious service in establishing public
authority. The violent agitation against the excise act promoted by the
Jeffersonians naturally tended to forcible resistance. One of the counts
of Jefferson's indictment of Hamilton's policy which had been presented to
Washington was that the excise law was "of odious character ... committing
the authority of the Government in parts where resistance is most probable
and coercion least practicable." The parts thus referred to were the
mountains of western Pennsylvania. The popular discontent which arose
there from the imposition of taxes upon their principal staple--distilled
spirits--naturally coalesced with the agitation carried on against
Washington's neutrality policy. At a meeting of delegates from the
election districts of Allegheny county held at Pittsburgh, resolutions