hat at the close of the session he should take that
of the Treasury. He said that men never chose to descend; that being
once in a higher department, he would not like to go into a lower one.
He asked me whether I could not arrange my affairs by going home. I told
him I did not think the public business would admit of it; that there
never was a day now, in which the absence of the Secretary of State
would not be inconvenient to the public. And he concluded by desiring
that I would take two or three days to consider whether I could not stay
in till the end of another quarter, for that, like a man going, to the
gallows, he was willing to put it off as long as he could; but if I
persisted, he must then look about him and make up his mind to do the
best he could: and so he took leave.

November the 5th, 1793. E. Randolph tells me, that Hamilton, in
conversation with him yesterday, said, 'Sir, if all the people in
America were now assembled, and to call on me to say whether I am a
friend to the French revolution, I would declare that I have it in
abhorrence?'

November the 8th, 1793. At a conference at the President's, where I read
several letters of Mr. Genet; on finishing one of them, I asked what
should be the answer. The President thereupon took occasion to observe,
that Mr. Genet's conduct continued to be of so extraordinary a nature,
that he meant to propose to our serious consideration, whether he
should not have his functions discontinued, and be ordered away. He
went lengthily into observations on his conduct, to raise against the
executive, 1. the people, 2. the State governments, 3. the Congress.
He showed he felt the venom of Genet's pen, but declared he would not
choose his insolence should be regarded any farther, than as might be
thought to affect the honor of the country. Hamilton and Knox readily
and zealously argued for dismissing Mr. Genet. Randolph opposed it with
firmness, and pretty lengthily. The President replied to him lengthily,
and concluded by saying he did not wish to have the thing hastily
decided, but that we should consider of it, and give our opinions on his
return from Reading and Lancaster. Accordingly, November the 18th, we
met at his house; read new volumes of Genet's letters, received since
the President's departure; then took up the discussion of the subjects
of communication to Congress. 1. The Proclamation. E. Randolph read the
statement he had prepared; Hamilton did not like it;