YOUNG Mr. Calhoun entered Congress prepared for a showdown. It was June 3, I812, and the ambitious congressman from South Carolina would recommend war against England. The Foreign Relations Committee, of which he was chairman, had deliberated only two days on President Madison's message, but, after a forceful report in favor of war, John C. Calhoun presented a bill of declaration. A majority of the House followed his lead and on June 4 passed the act, the Senate concurring with some reluctance on June i8. Madison's signature, also of June i8, marked the official beginning of war. The grievances against European powers for interfering with American ships and sailors on the high seas had gathered momentum in a continuous stream of events for more than a decade. The Jeffersonian policy of conciliation, restrictive measures, minimum armaments, and peace at any price had generally insured against violent ruptures. Until the Twelfth Congress, legislation aimed at France or England had in reality been a jockeying of party strength in Congress. Although party voting was far from regular, the major portion of the Republicans and the Federalists debated hotly on the embargo and the succeeding restrictive measures. The erratic stands of the Quids accentuated the hodgepodge nature of congressional opinion as did certain courses taken by the New Englanders. Believing that the Republicans would never be forced into a war, Josiah Quincy of Massachusetts and many of his fellow New England Federalists voted steadily for armament and naval increases in order to antagonize the administration. Quincy wrote to Harrison Gray Otis on November 26, I8ii, even suggesting that New England stand for war.' However, when it became evident that the young Republicans in the Twelfth Congress had plunged their peace-loving party into just that war, the Federalists pitched their tents in the opposite camp. Henry Adams estimated that only a third of Congress was in favor of war early in I8I2, yet on June 4 the bill in the House was carried 79-49.2 T'he crystallization of sentiment had been the work of an enthusiastic group