holas, 'I think it would be
best; but would nevertheless agree to any other consistent with the
constitution.' Dexter said he did not know what might be the opinion of
his State, but his own was, that no mode of election would answer any
good purpose; that he should prefer one for life. 'On that reasoning,'
said Nicholas, 'you should prefer an hereditary one.' 'No,' he said, 'we
are not ripe for that yet. I suppose,' added he, 'this doctrine is not
very popular with you.' 'No,' said Nicholas, 'it would effectually damn
any man in my State.' 'So it would in mine,' said Dexter; 'but I am
under no inducement to belie my sentiment; I have nothing to ask from
any body; I had rather be at home than here, therefore I speak my
sentiments freely.' Mr. Nicholas, a little before or after this, made
the same proposition of a uniform election to Rossr who replied that he
saw no good in any kind of election. 'Perhaps,' said he, 'the present
one may last a while.' On the whole, Mr. Nicholas thinks he perceives,
in that party, a willingness and a wish to let every thing go from bad
to worse, to amend nothing, in hopes it may bring on confusion, and open
a door to the kind of government they wish. In a conversation with Gunn,
who goes with them, but thinks in some degree with us, Gunn told him
that the very game which the minority of Pennsylvania is now playing
with McKean (see substitute of minority in lower House, and address
of Senate in upper), was meditated by the same party in the federal
government, in case of the election of a republican President; and that
the eastern States would in that case throw things into confusion,
and break the Union. That they have in a great degree got rid of their
paper, so as no longer to be creditors, and the moment they cease to
enjoy the plunder of the immense appropriations now exclusively theirs,
they would aim at some other order of things.

January the 24th. Mr. Smith, a merchant of Hamburg, gives me the
following information. The St. Andrew's Club, of New York, (all
of Scotch tories,) gave a public dinner lately. Among other guests
Alexander Hamilton was one. After dinner, the first toast was 'The
President of the United States.' It was drunk without any particular
approbation. The next was, 'George the Third.' Hamilton started up on
his feet, and insisted on a bumper and three cheers. The whole company
accordingly rose and gave the cheers. One of them, though a federalist,
was so disguste