The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1806-11-25

& Flowed the great influence which Gen. Hami!.
ton had ob'aiaed either over the Prehdcnt OF
in the felf-dubbed and felf-creatcd Cabinet.
Great and manifef as were thefe evils, they
were not all. Gen. Hamilton contriyedfo to inter
weave himfelf into the duties and relations OF
NIL the public departments, that he knew, exact
ly, every thing which related to the functions
and fecrets of each and this he was enabled
TO do, by the privileges which were attached
to his character as a member of the Cabinet I;
70 that none of the officers of tho(e depart
ments could, indeed, know more than Gen.
Hamilton would know upon the fame fuhje9s.
1t is true, that each of the other officers were
at liberty to make fimar enquiries and exami-
nations, in that department over which Gen.
| Hamilton preiidcd. But mark the difference {;
General Hamilton, as fecrctary of the treaiury,
had under his controul great number of ac-
countants, clerks, writers, &c. each executing
4 different portion of 4 great plan. When
therefore enquiry was made, or complaint en-
tered againf any of his deigns conduit
he could, and no doubt did fay Why, thisis
an incidental ftep or meaiure neceiIary TO fome-
thing of greater magnitude Sc Come to my Of
flee and there .you ,A5aN fee and examine eVfry
thing eobieb relates to it, This would ct
courfc put an end to the enquiry becaufe it
would be more eafy, in fuch an Office, to lead
! aitray any man not acquainted with its details,
than it would be to afford even the evaliye an
iwer which has been juit noticed.
| 1t has been alledgcd aganft Mr.. Hamilton,
, that he conducted himfelf by fuch means, and
that by theie means he was absolutely fecreta-
ry of the trealury, implicitly fecretary of war;
and with 70 much power gave great dfurbance
TO the officers of the other departments per-
maps any ether man, of equal talents and vanity,
would have acted in the fame manner. So
much is here faid, not to iniure the fame of
| Gen. Hamilton, but to thew how much evil has
proceeded, or may yet proceed, froElshe eta
bii!hment and organization OF Cabinet. Mr..
Gallatin, who ufed to complain fo much, of the
doings of the fedcraliits, is furely among the
aR, who ought to revive, if he could, an
conftitu'ional project, which gave TO one of
his predecefors an exorbitant s dangerous pow
err; which excited asaiuit him an unceaiiug op-
petition. Schemes OF this fort are not only in
ooniiilent with the fpirt of our government, but
are, as well now, as thea, extremely unpopular
Gen. Hamilton & his adherehts with the greateft
advantages which this country could give, were
oyerihrown.
! II was the cuftom of Prriident Warrington,
to iubInit all important queitions, which related
to either of the departments, TO this nnconRirH-
iiov0l board, and by thefe means, the willy Ha-
milton contrved to promote, or impede every
public meaiure, as fuited his own purpofcs.
No reflection is intended againtt General
Knox, TO FAY, that he never adopted any OPT
Mon, or executed any meaiure, or fubmitted
| any plan, however unimportant, which had
not been either previoufly recommended, or
approved by Hamilton. So that thefe two mem
| bers of the cabinet, always came into council
with the advantage of preeoncerted confede-
racy, which enabled them to obftru6t, what
ever might be propofed by either of the others.
1t is now mentioned, &c the credit 6 NJ
Jeferfen, that he always declared, that this
mode of proceeding, not fulfilled by the
contributions, and did not meet his appreciate
on. 1t will be recolle6ted too, that he rchgned
and withdrew from public employment, at a
time when his popularity was at lis zenith &
| atho' it was never announced to the world,
that he was aetuated to theie meafures, by the
objections which he entertained againt this
mode of executing public buiinefs; or was diff
Quilted with the influence, which Hamilton had
acquired, in the public concerns of the country
yeti is fate to fuggef, that fuch was the fact.
Thefe things deferve the more notice,
| becauie it has been imputed to Mr.. Jcferfon,
not merely as a fault, but as an offence, but
little fhort of treaion, that he, of late, has not
called council of the heads OF departments, as
was formerly done, to deliberate upon impor-
tant political occurrences.
1t is not here intended to fay, what may have
been the motives of the PRECEDENT, upon any
particular location, for withholding his con-
fidence, or concealing from the knowledge of
the public funttionaries (and particularly from
! Mr.. Gallatin) any ofthe matters which belong
ed, excluiiveiy, to his own functions. 1t is fuf-
| ficeDt to thew, that the contribution did not
call upon him to do it, and that he oppofed
fmilar proceedings, during the administration
of General Warrington, when his pride and
vanity, as one of thofe who would be conlult-
ed, might have operated as inducements.
Thefe remarks will fuffice in relation to the
complaint aganf Mr.. Jefferfon, concerning the
cabinet. Whether the contribution, in this
refpe6t, be good or bad, is not now the quc0i-
on. 1t is fuliicient to thew, that the conduct
of the PRECEDENT, has been ftriGiy contribution
al {: and according to the opinion of MIN, by
whom this is written, "no les 4viIe and mari
fori0AJ." PHILOPATER.
We have always deemed it fubiect of alton
iihment, that Great-Britan cooped up on the
lide of the continent, and all-powerful at fea,
has never employed her refources upon difant
eoaqueRS. We had fuppoled that the Hands of
France and Spain in the Wet Indies, and the
| fSpanilI colonies of South America, would have
urniihed the mott tempting objects to her ambi-
ton; luiiicieut to pay for all the expences of
their couqut and defence by the riches which
| they contained, the commercial advantages
which they preiented, and by their being held
as guarantees for purch1ling equivalent acquili-
lions Of territory, or more favourable terms, in
3 Ee.n IS IL, -. r n -.