The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-07-07


Olson Is it determined to- send Mr.. Madison
No; but It deserves consideration-Sentiing
Mr.. Madison will make dire work among the
Ipassions Of our parties in Congress, and out of
doors, through the States Are we forever to be
overawed and directed by party passions All
this conversation On my part was with the most
perfect civility, good humor and indeed familiar
ity: But found it excited profound gloom
and solemn couRtenance in my companion, which
after Some time broke out in " Mr. President, we
are wilhcg to resign" Nothing could have been
more unexpectedly me- than this observation
| Nothing was farther from my thoughts than TO
give any PAIN or uneasiness had said nothing
that could possibly dispiease, except prououncing
the name of Madison. restrained my surprise,
however, and only said, l hope nobody will
resign arm satisfied with all the public officers
Upon further inquiries of the other heads of
departments, and of other persons, found that
party passions had so deep and extensive ROOFS,
that seriously doubted whether the Senate
! would not negative Mr.. Madison, if should
| name him.--Rather than expose him to a mega.
tive, or doubtful contest in Senate, concluded
to omit him. III ! had nominated Madison,
should have nominated Hamilton with him. The
former knew, was much esteemed in France
the latter was rather an object of jealousy. But
I thought the French would tolerate one for the
| sake of the other.-And l thought too that the
manners the one would soon wear off the pre-
judices against him, and probably make him
greater favoritc than the other. But having Civ
| en- UP Madison. ought to give up Hamilton too.
Who then should name mentioned MIR. Da.
ma and Mr.. Gerry to the heads Of departments
and to many leading men in both Houses. They
all preferred Mr. Dana But it was evident e.
| nough to me, that neither Dana nor Gerry was
| their man. Dana was appointed, but refused.
then called the heads of departments together,
and proposed Mr. Gerry. All the five voices
unanimously were against him. Such inveteratc
lY,rQ nf ochN ryaI me II said moth h1t
determined would not be the slave of it.
knew the man infinitely better than all of them.
| He was nominated and approved, and finally sa-
we'd the peace of the nation, for he alone Disco
vered and furnished the evidence that x, Y,S z
| were employed by Talleyrand; and he alone
brought home the direct, formal and official as.
suranccs upon which the subsequent cummissi-
| on proceeded, aud peace was made.
1 considered Mr.. Amcs's candidate, Mr.. Ca
| bot, as deliberately as any of the others, and
with as favorable and friendly disposition to
wards him as any other, without exception.
| But knew his character and connexions were
as we'll known in France, particularly by Taley-
rand, as Mr. Gerry's were /; and that there were
| great objections against the former, and none at
all against the latter. 1t would be therefore in
eXcusable in me to hazard the success of the
mission merely to crafty tie passions of patty
| IN America, especially as knew Mr.. Gerry, to
| say the least, TO be full well qualified by his
4
| service, the other.
| afterwards nominated Mr.. Cabot to be Sc
cretary of the Navy, a station as useful as inn
| portant, and as honorable as the other; and for
which he was emincntly qualified. But this lie
refused.
and dilfiising these prejudices against Mr.. Ger.
| ry than Hamilton, whether he had formerly con-
sceived jeaiousies against him as n rival candi-
date for the Secretaryshp of the Treasury -
for Mr.. Gerry was financier, and had been
employed for years on the committee on the trea-
sury in the old congress, and most ndefatiga-
bic member too. That committee had laid the
foundation for the present system of the ,Trea-
sury, and had organized it almost as well, though
they had not the assistance of clerks and other
conveniences, as at present. Any man who will
look into the journals of the old Congress, may
see the organization and the daily labors and
reports of that committee, and may form some
Judgment of the talents and services of Mr. Ger
ry in that department. / knew that the officers
of the treasury i'll Hamilton's time dreaded to
see him rise i'll the house upon any question of fl
nance, because they said he was man of so much
influence, that they always feared he would dis
cover some error or carry some point against
them. Or whether he feared that Mr.. Gerry
would be President of the United States be-
fore him, know not. He was not alone, how
ever His friends among the heads of depart
ments and their correspondents in Boston, N.
! ford and Philadelphia, sympathised with him
very cordially in his hatred of Gerry, and of e.
veIyIother man who had labored & suffered early
: in the revolution.
This preference Of Mr.. Gerry to Mr.. Cabot
was my first mortal offence against sovereign
heads of departments and their disciples in all
the states 1t never was or has been forgiven
me oy those who call themselves, or are called
by others, the leading men, among the fcde-
ralists.
Mr.. Hamilton says, page 40, After the re-
lection of Mr.. Pinkney by the government of
F." France, Immediately alter the instaiment of
Mr.. Adams President, and long before the
measure was taken, I urged a member OF Con-
gress, then high in the confidence of the Pre-
=" sldent, TO propose TO him the immediate APP
polntment of three commissioners, of whom
" Mr.. Jefferson or Mr.. Madison to be one, to
make another attempt to negotiate"
will relate all that can recoliect relative
indeed was always in my confidence, came to
sion of Congress which / called soon after my
Inauguration, and produced long elaborate let
ter from MIR. Hamilton, containing whole sys.
dent, the Senate, and the House of Represen-
tatiyes. l read it very deliberately, and really
thought the man in delirium. 1t appear
ed TO me very extraordinary instance of vo.
lunteer empircism thus to prescribe for Pre-.
I sident, Senate and House of Representatives all
desperately sick and in a state of deplorable de
biity, without being called And when ma.
turely considered the contents Of the letter, m
, surprze was increased. l despised and detes
ted the letter too much tn take q copy of it
which now repret This letter is still I'm beup