ntioned in many companies, and that it had
excited universal horror and detestation.

The paper in Fenno must lie between two persons, viz. Adams and Izard,
because they are the only persons who could know such facts as are there
promised to be unfolded. Adams is an enemy to both characters, and might
choose this ground as an effectual position to injure both. Izard hated
Franklin with unparalleled bitterness, but humbly adores the President,
because he is in _loco regis_. If the paper proceeds, we shall easily
discover which of these two gentlemen is the champion. In the mean time,
the first paper leads our suspicions more towards Izard than Adams, from
the circumstance of style, and because he is quite booby enough not to
see the injury he would do to the President by such a mode of defence.

February the 28th. Knox, E. Randolph, and myself met at Knox's, where
Hamilton was also to have met, to consider the time, manner, and place
of the President's swearing in. Hamilton had been there before, and
had left his opinion with Knox; to wit, that the President should ask
a judge to attend him in his own house to administer the oath, in the
presence of the Heads of departments; which oath should be deposited in
the Secretary of State's office. I concurred in this opinion. Randolph
was for the President's going to the Senate chamber to take the oath,
attended by the marshal of the United States, who should then make
proclamation, &c. Knox was for this, and for adding the House of
Representatives to the presence, as they would not yet be departed. Our
individual opinions were written, to be communicated to the President,
out of which he might form one. In the course of our conversation,
Knox, stickling for parade, got into great warmth, and swore that our
government must either be entirely new modeled, or it would be knocked
to pieces in less than ten years; and that, as it is at present, he
would not give a copper for it; that it is the President's character,
and not the written constitution which keeps it together.

Same day. Conversation with Lear. He expressed the strongest confidence
that republicanism was the universal creed of America, except of a very
few; that a republican administration must of necessity immediately
overbear the contrary faction; said that he had seen with extreme
regret, that a number of gentlemen had for a long time been endeavoring
to instil into the President, that the noise against the admin