Washington were to be seated. The gentlemen were to
dance in swords. Each one, when going to dance, was to lead his partner
to the foot of the sofa, make a low obeisance to the President and his
lady, then go and dance, and when done, bring his partner again to the
foot of the sofa for new obeisances, and then to retire to their chairs.
It was to be understood, too, that gentlemen should be dressed in bags.
Mrs. Knox contrived to come with the President, and to follow him and
Mrs. Washington to their destination, and she had the design of forcing
an invitation from the President to a seat on the sofa. She mounted up
the steps after them unbidden, but unfortunately the wicked sofa was so
short, that when the President and Mrs. Washington were seated, there
was not room for a third person; she was obliged therefore to descend in
the face of the company, and to sit where she could. In other respects
the ceremony was conducted rigorously according to the arrangements, and
the President made to pass an evening which his good sense rendered a
very miserable one to him.

June the 12th. Beckley tells me that Klingham has been with him to-day,
and relates to him the following fact. A certificate of the old Congress
had been offered at the treasury and refused payment and so endorsed in
red ink as usual. This certificate came to the hands of Francis, (the
quondam clerk of the treasury who, on account of his being dipped in
the infamous case of the Baron Glaubec, Hamilton had been obliged
to dismiss, to save appearances, but with an assurance of all future
service, and he accordingly got him established in New York). Francis
wrote to Hamilton that such a ticket was offered him, but he could not
buy it unless he would inform him and give him his certificate that it
was good. Hamilton wrote him a most friendly letter, and sent him
the certificate. He bought the paper, and came on here and got it
recognised, whereby he made twenty-five hundred dollars Klingham saw
both the letter and certificate.

Irving, a clerk in the treasury, an Irishman, is the author of the
pieces now coming out under the signature of Verita's and attacking the
President. I have long suspected this detestable game was playing by the
fiscal party, to place the President on their side.

July the 18th, 1793. Lear calls on me. I told him that Irving, an
Irishman, and a writer in the treasury, who, on a former occasion, had
given the most decisive proofs of his