would submit to be instrumental in counteracting the wishes and expectations of the United States: and I now constitute you my proxy to declare these sentiments if the occasion shall require." In approaching towards the close of federalism, the number of facts which display the profligacy and corruption of the late administration, are so many, that I have felt at a loss how to select or how to conclude the few remaining pages of this volume, in which I intended to have comprised the principal transactions that characterised the reign of Mr. Adams. Had they been of a favorable nature either to virtue or humanity, I certainly would have deemed it incumbent upon me rather to have sported with the patience of the reader, by extending the limits of the work, than to have omitted them; but viewing only an ocean of folly and vice, or, if I may be allowed the expression, a pandimonian of political baseness and intrigue, the sooner I withdraw from the painful scene, I trust will be more acceptable both to the liberal patriot and the less candid monarchist. . Committing the fires at Washington to the charge of some future historian, who may have it more in his power to expose to the public eye those Cataline conflagrations, I shall only glance at such circumstances as appear most important in the public and private history of Mr. Adams. The dismissal of Timothy Pickering and James McHenry, the former from the office of Secretary of State, and the latter from that of Secretary of Rrr War, with the appointment of General Marshall and Samuel Dexter to their places, have been generally supposed, and not without reason, to have proceeded from the political schism which took place at Trenton; but the original quarrel between Mr. Adams and Mr. Pickering, I have been lately informed, from the best authority, was of a longer standing. It arose upon the nomination of Mr. Johnson to the stamp-office....Johnson, was a tory, and adhered to or fled with the British after our revolution, and resided in England until within the last three years, where John Quincy Adams married a daughter of Mr. Johnson. Upon the nomination of this gentleman, Mr. Pickering had the honesty to offer his opinion against him. * Mr. Adams has had the credit of proposing to make the President's office hereditary in the family of Lund Washington, the General having no heirs. This fact, however, is not ascertained as to period or place, and it appears either contradictory or a mark of additional instability of character, when considered with another fact satisfactorily authenticated. At the manufactory of Seve near Paris, there is made the finest porcelain in the world.... the directors of that work, soon after the peace of 1783, had executed a miniature of General Washington, and another of Dr. Franklin, executed in porcelain, and beautifully ornamented. Over the bust of General Washington the courtly fancy of the artist had placed a regal crown, over that of the Doctor, a cap of liberty. These miniatures were exhibited for some time in the chamber of Congress, and there Mr. Adams, with a pen-knife, mutilated the crown placed over the General's head. The Doctor's miniature escaped the hand of the Goth, by the accidental interposition of a member of Congress. The porcelain miniature of the General exists still in its mutilated state, and it is believed in the possession of Mrs. Washington. The enmity which Mr. Adams exhibited against the memory of Dr. Franklin is also strongly marked by the persecutions of Mr. Bache, the grandson of Dr. Franklin. Upon the appointment of John Quincy Adams to the several embassies in Europe, there appeared in the news-papers, published by Mr. Bache, some strictures on the nepotism which Mr. Adams pursued in creating offices for his relations. A letter was addressed to Mr. Bache, calling on him, as the school fellow of young John, to refrain from such strictures. The letter was in a female hand, and a gentleman who was acquainted with the hand writing of Mrs. Adams, asserted it to be from her pen. Mr. Bache not choosing to comply with the request of a woman, when the interest of his country was at stake, suffered afterwards the most rigorous treatment from the whole family of our late President. Parental affection may, in the breast of some, excuse Mr. Adams for employing his son in a sphere where he might acquire political knowledge; but it ought not to be forgotten, that it was at the public expence. Some idea of the unnecessary expences that were incurred during the administration of Mr. Adams may be formed from the following account of contingencies during the year 1800: "Gentlemen of the Senate, and "Gentlemen of the House of Representatives, "I now transmit to both Houses of Congress, in conformity to law, my annual account of the application of grants for the contingent charges of government for the year one thousand eight hundred. "January 21, 1800....To warrant No. 497, on this day, and subject to the orders of "December 31, 1799....By grant of twenty thousand dollars, made by " An act making appropriations for the support of government, for the year 1799," pass Dols. 50 19,950 20,000 ed on the 2d March, 1799, and which remained subject to the orders of the President of the United States, at the close of that year, according to a statement rendered under date of January, 17, 1800, "Treasury Department, Register's office, January, 14, 1800. Dols. 20,000 JOSEPH NOURSE, Register." "TREASURY DEPARTMENT. "December 30, 1800. "I hereby certify, that I have examined and adjusted an account between the United States and Oliver Wolcott, Secretary of the Treasury, and find the sum of Five Hundred and Ten Dollars and eighty-four cents, is due from the United States unto Edward Jones, his assignee; being the amount of expences incurred by him on his removal from Philadelphia to the City of Washington, as appears from the statement and vouchers herewith transmitted for the decision of the Comptroller of the Treasury thereon. Dolls. 510 84. "R. HARRISON, Auditor. "To John Steele, Esq. Comptroller." "COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE. "I admit and certify the above balance this thirtieth day of December, 1800. "JOHN STEELE, Comptroller. "To Joseph Nourse, Esq. Register." |