overnor of
Pennsylvania alone [Mifflin] enjoyed the name of republican. His
opinions of the secretary of the treasury, and of his systems, were
known to be unfavorable. The secretary of this state [Dallas] possessed
great influence in the popular society of Philadelphia, which in its
turn influenced those of other states; of course he merited attention.
It appears that these men, with others unknown to me, were balancing to
decide on their party. Two or three days before the proclamation was
published, and of course before the cabinet had resolved on its
measures, Mr. Randolph came to me with an air of great eagerness, and
made to me the overtures of which I have given an account in my No.
6.[83]

"Thus, with some thousands of dollars, the republic could have decided on
civil war or on peace! Thus the consciences of the pretended patriots of
America already have their prices! What will be the old age of this
government, if it is thus already decrepit?"

After speaking of Hamilton's financial schemes as the instrument of
making "of a whole nation a stock-jobbing, speculating, and selfish
people," and asserting that "riches alone here fix consideration, and,
as no one likes to be despised, they are universally sought after," he
makes some exceptions among the leading republicans by name, and
continues:--

"As soon as it was decided that the French republic purchased no men to
do their duty, there were to be seen individuals, about whose conduct
the government could at least form uneasy conjectures, giving themselves
up with scandalous ostentation to its views, and ever seconding its
declarations. The popular societies [democratic] soon emitted
resolutions stamped with the same spirit, which, although they may not
have been prompted by love of order, might nevertheless have been
omitted, or uttered with less solemnity. Then were seen, coming from the
very men whom we have been accustomed to regard as having little
friendship for the treasurer, harangues without end, in order to give a
new direction to the public mind."

This despatch had been intercepted at sea, found its way to the British
cabinet, and was forwarded to Mr. Hammond, the British minister at
Philadelphia. He placed it in the hands of Mr. Wolcott, the secretary of
the treasury, for he ascribed the delay in the ratification of the
treaty to Randolph's influence. It was translated by Mr. Pickering, and
he, as we have seen, submitted it to the president on