revolution, while in
its first and pure stage, and, consequently, somewhat whetted up in my
own republican principles, I found a state of things in the general
society of the place, which I could not have supposed possible. The
revolution I had left, and that we had just gone through in the recent
change of our own government, being the common topics of conversation,
I was astonished to find the general prevalence of monarchial
sentiments, insomuch, that in maintaining those of republicanism, I
had always the whole company on my hands, never scarcely finding among
them a single co-advocate in that argument, unless some old member of
Congress happened to be present. The furthest that any one would go in
support of the republican features of our new government, would be to
say, 'the present constitution is well as a beginning, and may be
allowed a fair trial, but it is, in fact, only a stepping stone to
something better.'"

Alexander Hamilton, though pledged and sincerely disposed to support
the republican form, with regard to our country, preferred
_theoretically_, a monarchial form; and, being frank of speech, and,
as Gouverneur Morris writes, "prone to mount his hobby," may have
spoken openly in favor of that form as suitable to France; and as his
admirers took their creed from him, opinions of the kind may have been
uttered pretty freely at dinner-tables. These, however, which so much
surprised and shocked Mr. Jefferson, were probably merely speculative
opinions, broached in unguarded hours, with no sinister design, by men
who had no thought of paving the way for a monarchy. They made,
however, a deep impression on his apprehensive mind, which sank deeper
and deeper until it became a fixed opinion with him, that there was
the desire and aim of a large party, of which Hamilton was the leader,
to give a regal form to the government.

The question of the assumption of the State debts was resumed in
Congress on the 29th of March, on a motion to commit, which was
carried by a majority of two; the five members from North Carolina
(now a State of the Union) who were strongly opposed to assumption,
having taken their seats and reversed the position of parties on the
question. An angry and intemperate discussion was revived, much to the
chagrin of Washington, who was concerned for the dignity of Congress;
and who considered the assumption of the State debts, under proper
restrictions and scrutiny into accounts, to be just an