s at issue
between the two countries. The event came too late to be of service to
Adams in his campaign for reelection, but it was intensely gratifying to
his self-esteem.

Some feelers were put forth to ascertain whether Washington could not be
induced to be a candidate again, but the idea had hardly developed before
all hopes in that quarter were abruptly dashed by his death on December
14, 1799, from a badly treated attack of quinsy. Efforts to substitute
some other candidate for Adams proved unavailing, as New England still
clung to him on sectional grounds. News of these efforts of course reached
Adams and increased his bitterness against Hamilton, whom he regarded as
chiefly responsible for them. Adams had a deep spite against members of
his Cabinet for the way in which they had foiled him about Hamilton's
commission, but for his own convenience in routine matters he had retained
them, although debarring them from his confidence. In the spring of 1800
he decided to rid himself of men whom he regarded as "Hamilton's spies."
The first to fall was McHenry, whose resignation was demanded on May 5,
1800, after an interview in which--according to McHenry--Adams reproached
him with having "biased General Washington to place Hamilton in his list
of major-generals before Knox." Pickering refused to resign, and he was
dismissed from office on May 12. John Marshall became the Secretary of
State, and Samuel Dexter of Massachusetts, Secretary of War. Wolcott
retained the Treasury portfolio until the end of the year, when he
resigned of his own motion.

The events of the summer of 1800 completed the ruin of the Federalist
party. That Adams should have been so indifferent to the good will of his
party at a time when he was a candidate for reelection is a remarkable
circumstance. A common report among the Federalists was that he was no
longer entirely sane. A more likely supposition was that he was influenced
by some of the Republican leaders and counted on their political support.
In biographies of Gerry it is claimed that he was able to accomplish
important results through his influence with Adams. At any rate, Adams
gave unrestrained expression to his feelings against Hamilton, and finally
Hamilton was aroused to action. On August 1, 1800, he wrote to Adams
demanding whether it was true that Adams had "asserted the existence of a
British faction in this country" of which Hamilton himself was said to be
a leader. Adams did not