spoke of having "never had a doubt of the validity of the
French treaty," and he notes that in the cabinet disputes Washington was
inclined to his views. As the embarrassments of the Administration
thickened, the President, it is true, leaned more and more toward
Hamilton, but this inclination was due more to necessity than to personal
partiality. The explanation stands out in Jefferson's own account of
events. Hamilton was clear, positive, and decided as to what to do and how
to do it. Jefferson was active in finding objections but not in finding
ways and means of action. This contrast became sharper as time went on,
and, as Washington was in a position where he had to do something, he was
forced to rely on Hamilton more and more. Jefferson held that it
would be inexpedient for the general government to assume the duty of
fortifying the harbors, and that there was no constitutional authority for
establishing a military academy. On November 28, 1793, there was a
prolonged wrangle over these issues at a cabinet meeting, which the
President ended by saying that he would recommend the military academy to
Congress, and "let them decide for themselves whether the Constitution
authorized it or not." This was the last of the quarrelsome cabinet
sessions recorded by Jefferson. He vacated the office of Secretary of
State, December 31, 1793, and thereafter the ascendancy of Hamilton in the
Cabinet was indisputed.

An immediate effect of the change was to give new vigor to efforts at
reaching a settlement with Great Britain. The old troubles over her
retention of the western posts still continued, and in addition to them
came new difficulties arising from war measures. On January 30, 1793,
Thomas Pinckney, then American minister to Great Britain, wrote that war
was about to begin, "and although our claim to a free intercourse is
founded in reason and our national right, yet, as we have no armed
neutrality the members whereof this people have to fear, they may stop our
vessels bound to French ports with provisions." What was feared soon
happened. By the French decree of 1793, the French colonies were opened to
American trade and West Indian commerce flourished. This was now afflicted
by contraband regulations laid down by Great Britain, under which many
American vessels were seized for carrying cargoes to or from French ports.
Although Genet's activities and the extent to which they were indulged by
the United States did not tend to