The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-20
POLITICAL.
Mr.. ADAMS's
CORRESPONDENTS CONTINUED.

To the Printers Of the Boston Patriot
SIRs,
Another OF my crimes, according to my
great accuser' page %, was nominating MIR
Murray, without previous consultation with any
of my ministers. To this charge shall say blu,
little at present.
In England the first magistrate is responsible
for nothing his ministers for every thing -
Here, according to the practice, if not the con-
stitution, the ministers are responsible for no.
thing the president for every thing He is
made to answer, before the people, not only for
every thing done b" his ministers, but even for
all the acts of the Legislature Witness the A
lien and Sedition Laws. In all great and essen
tial measures, he is bound by his honor and his
conscience, by his oath to the constitution, as
well as his responsibility to the public opinion of
the nation, to act his own mature and unbiased
Judgment, though unfortunately, it may be in di-
rect contradiction to the advice Of all his minis
tiers. This was my situation in more than ore
instance. 1t had been so in the nomination of
MIR. Gerry 1t was afterwards so in the pardon
OF Fries. Two measures that recoilect with
infinite satisfaction, and which will console ME in
my last hour.
IN the case now in question, perfectly knew
the sentiments of all my ministers. l knew c.
very argument they could allied -, and moreover,
| knew the secret motives that governed them,
| better than they did themselves. / knew them
| then, and know them now Believe it or dis
believe it who will, at the present time hereaf-
ter the world will be convinced Of it.
knew that if called the Heads of Depart.
ments together, and asked their advice, three of
/ them would very laconically protest against the
| measure The other two would be loath to dis
sent from their bretnien, and would more mo.
destiy and mild, concur with them. The con-
| sequec1e would be, that the whole would be in
/, Simultaneously communicated to A, b, c, ID, E,
+, &c. in tine Senate, and to 6, II, l, &c. in the
House of Representatives the public and the
presses would have it ut once, and a clamor raj
sed and prejudice propagated against the mea-
sure, that would probably excite the Senate to
put their negative on the whole plan. If had
called the Heads of Departments together, and
asked their advice, knew from past experience,
that their answers would have been fiat Mega
tiyes. If Ihad asked their reasons, they would
be such arguments as Hamilton has recorded, for
he, it seems, was their recording secretary. 1.
The etiquette which required, according to them
that France should send minister to us. 9. That
negociation with France would give offence to
Great Britain and to Russia, and probably in
vove us i..war with thea.. powers had TWEEN.
ty tunes answered these arguments, by saying
| that there was no such etiquette. 1t was true
that in antient and more barbarous times, when
nations had been nhan.ed by long wars, and the
people wrought up to degree of fury, on both
sides, SO as to excite apprehensioas that ambass-
adors would be insulted or massacred by the po-
Pulace, or even imprisoned in Turkey, sove-
| reigns had insisted that ambassadors should be
exchanged and that one should be held hos.
tage for the other. 1t had even been insisted
that French ambassador should embark at Ca
lais, at the same hour that an English ambassa-
dor embarked at Dover. But these times were
passed Nations sent ambassadors now as they
pleased. Franklin and his 1ciates had been
sent to France; Mr.. Jay had been sent to
Spain; had been sent TO Holland Mr. lizard
had been commissioned to Tuscany Mr.. W..
w. Lee, 20 Vienna and Berlin, without any sti-
pulation for sending ministers in return. We had
a minister in London three years, without any
minister from England in return. We have had
minister at Berlin, without any from Prussia.
AS to the offence that would be taken by G.. b.
i'asked, shall we propose any thing to France, or
agree to- any thing inconsistent with treaties 8,
pledged faith with England? Certainly not
What right has England, then, to be offended (:
Have we not as clear right to make peace as
she has We are at war with France, at least
IN part. II Britain should make peace with
France, what right have we to complain, prOvi-
ded she stipuates nothing inconsistent with her
treaty with us
AS to Russia, what has she to do with us, or
we with her had confidence enough in the
assurances given, firmly to believe that our en-
voys would be received and respected. Candi-
dates enough were ready to run the risque, and
Hamilton himself would have been very proud to
have been one OF them, if he had not been Com
mander in Chiefofthe army.
will acknowledge that when the terror of the
power and anger Of Great-Britain have been
held up to me, in manner that appears, to me,
to be base and servile, ! sometimes was provok-
ed to say, that in just cause, when the essenti-
al character and interests Of the United States
should be wrnged by Great Britain, I shall
hold her power in total contempt. It may be
said, for it has been said, that this imprudent,
and that was fretted. Let it be said, by whom
II will, now repeat the same sentiment, after
the coolest reflection of ten years.
On the other hand, by making the nomination
ON my own authority, believed that the heads
ofdepsrtments would have some discretion, and
although knew that the British faction would
exctca ciamor, and that some of the Senators,