The active and incessant manoeuvres of french agents in this Country, make me apprehend that any inconsidble. change in the measures of France favorable to us will drive the great mass of knaves & fools back into her arms. What indeed have we not to apprehend from the multitude which for four years has, with so little reason, avowed such a devoted attachment to that insidious nation? If the present temper can be steadfastly maintained, the losses from their spoliations will scarcely be regretted; they will be well compensated by our deliverance from gallic thraldom. The eyes of a great many are now opened to the real views of France, and the public mind is thereby become more open to receive impressions favorable to England; nothing will be so conducive to the complete establishment of our independence, as a conduct on the part of G. Britain at this crisis, marked with sincere good will to this country. This will do away with those antipathies which are still lurking in a great many breasts and produce a general disposition to view that nation as connected with us by the strongest ties of mutual interest. It has been so much a fashion of late years to call parties here by foreign names, that many conceive we cannot be alienated from the French without throwing ourselves á corps perdu into the arms of the English; and unfortunately many of the ci-devant English merchants here, yielding without due reflection to an habitual impulse, encourage this degrading idea; it is important that it should be banished from our sight and that we should forcibly inculcate the sentiment, that if we are alienated from the French, it is because we cherish our independence and have determined to form no connexions but those which unite indepent. nations for their common interest. It is a fortunate thing for us that the Representatives of the respective nations are at this present juncture so peculiarly gifted with those rare and valuable qualities, which at the same time remove every distrust and strengthen a growing friendship. Mr. & Mrs. Liston are much liked, so much so as to be, in the eyes of the Jacobins, dangerous people. I am much pleased with the promises of Abercromby & Simcoe; the british Govt. may, with little trouble & no expence, do many things which wo'd produce the most happy effects here. There never was so favorable an opportunity; but they must understand the footing on which our connexions are to rest-the most complete independence on our part. I was about to return to Charleston, when the late disagreeable intelligence from Gen. Pinckney compelled the Executive to convene Congress on the 15th May. I must therefore stay here. The successes of Buonaparte will probably give the Directory a still more haughty tone, unless their internal affairs sho'd produce something favorable for us. Congress are to meet this day six weeks-something may occur of an important nature before that period. The operations of the French cabinet have been so fluctuating & their danger relative to foreign and neutral powers so sudden & violent, that I am not without hopes that when they find their prospects blasted of overthrowing our Government & cancelling the British Treaty, they will suddenly wheel about and generously forgive us. There is only this yet wanting to complete their character for generosity & magnanimity, so much dinned in our ears by their adherents. We shall pass a new Law next Session relative to Seamen; your suggestion on that subject will be carefully attended to. Major Lenox, the successor of Trumbull, sails for London in a few weeks. The Commrs. for the 6th Article are arrived here. I have not yet seen them. Our Treaty with Sweden expires in about fifteen months; the Executive have it in contemplation to propose a revival of it. Have you turned your attention much to this subject? What think you of a commercial connexion with Denmark? Those two powers have a common interest with us, whenever the great maritime nations are at war; it seems therefore strange that we sho'd have a Minister Plenipotenty. in Portugal with whom we have no Treaty and little commercial intercourse, and no relations with Denmark & Sweden, whose interests in time of war are so homogeneous with ours and with whom we might have extensive commercial intercourse. The accounts from the Mediterranean are highly pleasing. The Treaties with the Barbary powers have cost us a great deal of money and vexation. I trust they will realize the benefits you justly anticipated. This new source of commerce will indemnify us for the abridgement of our Commerce in the W. Indies. The change of the Executive here has been wrought with a facility and a calm which has astonished even those of us who always augured well of the governt. and the general good sense of our citizens. The machine has worked without a creak. On the 4th of March John Adams was quietly sworn into office, George Washington attending as a private citizen. A few days after he went quietly home to Mt. Vernon; his successor as quietly took his place, and in the same house last Tuesday I saw him well dressed, in a full suit, sword, bag &c. at his first levée, which was a very crowded one. The Jacobins are flattering him and trying to cajole him to admit the V. P. into the Council. Jefferson lodged at Francis' hotel (with Adams) while here, attended the Philosophical Society of which he is President, made a dissertation about a Lion's claw, and soon after returned to Monticello. Our friend Murray sails for Amsterdam shortly; he will do credit to the appointment. I shall intrust to his care a copy of my little work on the Constitution for you, which I have had interleaved to receive those judicious remarks which will I am sure occur to you on perusing it. When this is done, I shall request you to return it to me, in exchange for a copy of a new edition on a more enlarged & useful plan. Farewell, yours very affectly. WM. SMITH. A. HAMILTON TO R. KING, LONDON. April 8, 1797. I thank you, my Dear Sir, for your letter of the 6th of February. The Intelligence that the Directory have ordered away our Minister is every way unpleasant. It portends too much a final Rupture as the only alternative to an ignominious submission. Much public feeling has been excited. But the Government, I trust & believe, will continue prudent, and do everything that honor permits towards accommodation. 'Tis however to be feared that France successful will be too violent and imperious to meet on any admissible ground. Congress are called together. I can give you no conjecture as to what will be done. Opinions are afloat. My idea is another attempt to pacify by negotiation, vigorous preparations for war But there never and defensive measures with regard to our Trade. was a period of our affairs in which I could less foresee the course of things. I believe there is no danger of want of firmness in the Executive. If he is not ill-advised, he will not want prudence. I mean that I believe that he is himself disposed to a prudently firm course. You know the Mass of our Senate. That of our House of Representatives is not ascertained. A small majority on the right side is counted on. In Virginia it is understood that Morgan comes in place of Rutherford, & Evans in place of Page. The whole result of the Virginia election is not known. The conduct of France has been a very powerful medicine for the political diseases of the country. I think the community improves in soundness. Adieu, God bless you A. HAMILTON. CHAPTER XIII. Opposition to France growing more popular-Reliance on the Firmness and DEAR SIR: G. CABOT TO R. KING, LONDON. BROOKLINE, April 10, 1797. I see by the style of your Letter of the 25th of Jany that you are more happy and if you had not told me expressly that you had surmounted your difficulties, I shou'd have inferr'd it. Our Campaign here is soon to open, & I think may prove a more important one than any we have seen. Both parties are active in endeavouring to preoccupy the popular mind, and if a judgment were now to be formed, it wou'd be that the friends of order and good government will be successful. The aim is to rouse the country as much as possible without inflaming it, & by exciting a due attention to the public danger it is expected that we the people shall be reconciled to some new burthens which may become necessary, & shall be disposed to strengthen the Govt. by a ready support of the measures it shall adopt. The President, I am assured, will not yield to the insolent dictates of France; but on the contrary will propose to Congress measures which will satisfy the men who elected him. If the House of Representatives shou'd be well composed, the national dignity will be supported at any rate (& probably peace maintained); but if a majority |