en as long ago as May, 1792, was to
give countenance to the charge of the opposition that Washington's
cabinet, and of course Adams' which followed the same policy, was under
British influence; and that the Pickney brothers, candidates with Adams
on the presidential ticket, were especially liable to this suspicion.
The publication of this letter was followed by a still more deadly blow
in the shape of a pamphlet, written, printed and signed by
Hamilton,--probably intended by him for private distribution among his
friends, but which was made public by Aaron Burr, who had succeed in
obtaining some of the proof sheets.

This pamphlet had its origin in the same charge against Hamilton of
being under the influence of British gold, thrown out by Adams in
private conversation. To this he had refused to give any explanation
when written to by Hamilton, though when a similar request was made by
C. C. Pickney in consequence of the publication of the letter to Coxe,
Adams fully exonerated, in a published letter, both Pickney and his
brother from any suspicion which his letter to Coxe might seem
calculated to convey.

Hamilton declared in the conclusion of his pamphlet that, as things then
stood, he did not recommend the withholding of a single vote from Adams.
Yet, it was the leading object of his pamphlet to show, without denying
Adams' patriotism or integrity, or even his talents, that he had great
defects of character which disqualified him for the position of chief
magistrate, and the effect which he desired it to have must have been to
give C. C. Pickney the presidency, by causing a certain number of votes
to be withheld from Adams.

The result of the election, however, was to throw out both the federal
candidates, while Adams receiving forty-five votes and Pickney
fifty-four; Jefferson and Burr each received seventy-three. In the
ensuing struggle between Jefferson and Burr, Adams took no part
whatever. Immediately on the expiration of his term of office he left
Washington, where shortly before the seat of government had been moved,
without even stopping to be present at the inauguration of Jefferson,
against whom he felt a sense of personal wrong, probably thinking he
had been deluded by false professions as to Jefferson's views on the
presidential chair.

Though both were much given to letter-writing, and had to within a short
time before been on terms of friendly intercourse, this state of
feelings, on the part of Ada