meditating
to place the President of the Senate at the head of the government, I
called on Mr. Adams with a view to have this desperate measure prevented
by his negative. He grew warm in an instant, and said with a vehemence
he had not used towards me before, 'Sir, the event of the election is
within your own power. You have only to say you will do justice to
the public creditors, maintain the navy, and not disturb those holding
offices, and the government will instantly be put into your hands. We
know it is the wish of the people it should be so.''Mr. Adams,' said I,
'I know not what part of my conduct, in either public or private life,
can have authorized a doubt of my fidelity to the public engagements.
I say, however, I will not come into the government by capitulation. I
will not enter on it, but in perfect freedom to follow the dictates
of my own judgment.' I had before given the same answer to the same
intimation from Gouverneur Morris. 'Then,' said he, 'things must take
their course.' I turned the conversation to something else, and soon
took my leave. It was the first time in our lives we had ever parted
with any thing like dissatisfaction. And then followed those scenes of
midnight appointment, which have been condemned by all men. The last day
of his political power, the last hours, and even beyond the midnight,
were employed in filling all offices and especially permanent ones, with
the bitterest federalists, and providing for me the alternative, either
to execute the government by my enemies, whose study it would be
to thwart and defeat all my measures, or to incur the odium of such
numerous removals from office, as might bear me down. A little time and
reflection effaced in my mind this temporary dissatisfaction with
Mr. Adams, and restored me to that just estimate of his virtues and
passions, which a long acquaintance had enabled me to fix. And my first
wish became that of making his retirement easy by any means in my power;
for it was understood he was not rich. I suggested to some republican
members of the delegation from his State, the giving him, either
directly or indirectly, an office, the most lucrative in that State,
and then offered to be resigned, if they thought he would not deem it
affrontive. They were of opinion he would take great offence at the
offer; and, moreover, that the body of republicans would consider such
a step in the outset, as auguring very ill of the course I meant to
pursue. I