The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-06-30

Mr.. ADAMS'S
CORRESPONDENTS CONTINUED.

In porspklef, page 81, it il said that the great
alteration in public opinion, had put II complete
schinations OF any future public agent of France.
Therefore Philadelphia was a safer scene Of ne
gociation than Paris.
s Mr.. Hsmitons erroneous conceptions of the
public opinion, may be excused by the conside-
raiions that he was not native of the United
States that ne was born and bred in the West
Indies till he went to Scotland for education,
where he spent his time in q seminary Of learning,
till II years Of age after which no man ever
perfectly acquired national character then
entered college At New-York from whence he
issued into the army as an aid de.camp. In these
situations he could scarcely acquire the opinions.
feelings, or principles Of the American people,
His error may be excused by the further consi-
Iteration, that his time was chiefly spent in his
pleasures, in his electioneering visits, conferen-
ces and correspondences, in propagating preju-
dices against every man whom he thought his sa-
perior in the public estimation and IN compos.
ing ambitious reports upon finance. while the re.
al business ofthe treasury was done by Duer, by
Wolcott, and even for some time and in part, by
Tenche Coke.
His observation that " France will never be
without secret agents" is true and it is equal
lytrue that England will always have secret a,
gents and emissaries too" That her parti-
zans, among our own fellow-citizsns can
much better promote her cause than any q.
gents she can send, is also true :" but it is at
Feast equally true ofthe partizans of C.. Britain.
We have seen in the foregoing papers, glsring
and atrocious instances of the exertiOns of her
public agents, secret emissaries and partizans a.
inons our citizens But none have yet been men.
toned that bear any comparison in point of guilt
and arrogance, with those Of all kinds that
have been exhibited within the last two or three
years.
My worthy fellow. citizens Our form of gov.
ernment, inestimable as it is, exposes it more
than any other to the insidious intrigues and
Presidential influence of foreign nations. Mo-
thihg but our iniexible neutrality can preserve
MS. The public negotiations anu secret intrigues
fthe English and the French have been employ
ed for,centures in every court and Country of Eu.
rope. Look back to the history of Spain, Hol-
land, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Denmark,
Prussia, Italy, and Turkey, for the last hundred
years. How many revolutions have been caus-
ed How many emperors and kings have fallen
victims to the alternate triumups OF parties, excl
ted by Englishmen or Frenchmen And we
expect to escape the vigilant attention of potici.
ans so experienced, so n-sighted, ard so rich
1t we convince them that our attachment to neu.
trality is interchangeable, they wiillet us alone
but as long as hope Re mains, in either power,
OF seducing us to engage in war on his side and
against his enemy, we shall be torn aid cCnvuls-
ed by their manGuvres
Never was there grosser mistake OF public
opinion than that of Mr.. Hamilton. The great
alteration in public opinion had not then, nor
has 1t vet, taken place. The French republic
still existed: The French people were still con-
eidered as struggling for liberty, amidst all their
internal revolutions, their conflicts ofparties and
their bloody wars against the coalitions of Euro
pean powers. Monarchy, empire, had not been
suggested. Bonaparte had appeared only as a
soldier; had acted on the public stage in no civ
Il o. political employment sense of gratitude,
for services rendered us in Our revolution, by far
more sincere and ardent, than reason justice
coeld warrant, still remained OH tile minds, not
only OF our republicans, but of great numbers of
Our soundest federaiists. Did Mr. Hamilton re-
collect the state Of our presses Recellect the
names and popular eloquence Ofthe editors the
opposition papers l-That soothing, scornng
wit, and that oaustic maIignity of soul which APP
beared SO remarkably in all the writings Of Tho
mas Paine and Calender, which to the disgrace
OfhufnaH nature, never fails to command atteR-
tion and applause /! The me r.,bers of the Senate
and House, who were decided against the adj
Inlnistration, their continued communications
with French emssaries The hideous cIarhor a
Balnst the alien law, and sediton law, both con-
sidered as levclled entirely against the French
and their friends, and the surrender according to
the British treaty, of the Irish murderer Nash,
imposed upon the public for Jonathan Robbins
aid he recollect the Instruction in Pennsyva-
MIA The universal and perpetual infiammatory
publications against the land tax, stamp tax
coach tax, excise law, and eight per cent loan
Did he never nor hear of the circular letters
OF members OF Congress from the middle and
southern states Did he know nothing of the
biting sarcasms, the burning rage against him
self and his own army Did he know nothing of
akind ofjournal that was published Of every ir-
regular act OF any officer soldier, of every mill
tary punishment that was inflicted, under the APP
pellation Of the CannibaPs Progress Did he see
nothing Of the French cockades ostentatiously
exhibited against the American cockades?
Had French Minister been seen here with
bis suite, he would have been instantly informed
ofevery source & symptom ofdiscontent. Almost
every Frenchman upon the continent, and they
were then numerous in all the States, would
have been employed in eliminating the Amcri-
can government, in applauding the condcscensi.
on OF the French Directory and the friendly,
concilisting disposition of the French nation
Nothing could have been kept secret. The popu-
lar clainor ofpeace on any terms would have been
very difficult, if not impossible, to resist The
multitude Of Philadelphia, as it was, were
almost as ripe to pull me out of my house as
they had been to dethroDe Washington III the
time of Genet Even the night of the fast day,
the streets were crouded with multitudinous- as.
semb..cs Of the people, especially that before my
door, aud kept in order only, as many people
thought, by military patrol, ordered, / believe
by tue Governor OF Pennsylvania.
La these circumstances, it was in my opinion
and it is still. it infinitely better to conduct
the negotiation at Paris than in Philadelphia -
Buff this was and is error, it was certainly
not OF such consequence as Hamilton thought fit
40 present 1t. Hit was error, 1 humbly con.
ceive II " ouid have better becoIre Mr.. Ham
5lton to fTa zen silent, than 10 endeavor to make
II Unpopular 'lnce the step was taken and if-
revocable, VIII IN lie wrote.