Hamilton also made use of the services of journalism.  When on June 29,1793, publication began of a series of eight articles signed “Pacificus,” it was well known that Hamilton was the author.  The acute analysis and cogent reasoning of these articles have given them classic rank as an exposition of national rights and duties.  Upon minds open to reason their effect was marked.  Jefferson wrote to Madison, “For God’s sake, my dear Sir, take up your pen, select the most striking heresies, and cut him to pieces in the face of the public.”  Madison did take up his pen, but he laid it down again without attempting to controvert Hamilton’s argument.  The five articles which Madison wrote over the signature “Helvidius” do not proceed farther into the subject than a preliminary examination of executive authority, in which he laid down principles of strict construction of the Constitution which have never been adopted in practice and which are now interesting only as specimens of dialectic subtlety.

Although as an electioneering tactician Jefferson had superior ability, neither he nor any of his associates was a match for Hamilton in debate.  As the issues were discussed, the Jeffersonians lost ground, and for this they put the blame on Genet.  By July 7, Jefferson was writing to Madison that Genet “renders my position immensely difficult,” and thereafter in the correspondence of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe, Genet figures as a rash man whose indiscretions embarrassed his friends and impeded his own objects.  This view has to a large extent passed over into history, but when it is considered that Genet did not come to America for Jefferson’s comfort but to accomplish certain things for his own government, it must be owned that he had considerable success.  Although his means were small, he managed to engage in the French service an active American fleet including such vessels as Le Cassius, L’Ami de le Point a Petre, L’Amour de la Liberte, La Vengeance, La Montagne, Le Vainqueur de la Bastille, La Carmagnole, L’Esperance, Le Citoyen Genet, Sans Pareil, and Le Petit Democrate. The last-mentioned vessel was originally an English merchantman, the brig Little Sarah, brought into Philadelphia harbor as a French prize.  When it was learned that this vessel had been armed and equipped for service as a French man-of-war, Governor Mifflin of Pennsylvania gave orders that the vessel should be detained.  Genet threatened forcible resistance, and a clash might have occurred, had Jefferson not intervened.  He went to Genet’s house on Sunday to persuade him not to move the vessel until the President could decide the case.  Genet refused to give any promise, but remarked that the vessel would probably not be ready to depart for several days.  Jefferson thereupon exerted himself successfully to prevent the taking of any steps to detain the vessel.