ng our commerce to their own ports and
those of their friends. Knox joined Hamilton in every thing. Randolph
was for the communications; that the documents respecting the first
should be given in as public; but that those respecting the second
should not be given to the legislature at all, but kept secret. I began
to tremble now for the whole, lest all should be kept secret. I urged,
especially, the duty now incumbent on the President, to lay before the
legislature and the public what had passed on the inexecution of the
treaty, since Mr. Hammond's answer of this month might be considered
as the last we should ever have; that, therefore, it could no longer
be considered as a negotiation pending. I urged that the documents
respecting the stopping our corn ought also to go, but insisted that if
it should be thought better to withhold them, the restrictions should
not go to those respecting the treaty; that neither of these subjects
was more in a state of pendency than the recall of Mr. Genet, on which,
nevertheless, no scruples had been expressed. The President took up
the subject with more vehemence than I have seen him show, and decided
without reserve, that not only what had passed on the inexecution of the
treaty should go in as public (in which Hamilton and Knox had divided
in opinion from Randolph and myself), but also that those respecting the
stopping our corn should go in as public (wherein Hamilton, Knox, and
Randolph had been against me.) This was the first instance I had seen of
his deciding on the opinion of one against that of three others, which
proved his own to have been very strong.

December the 1st, 1793. Beckley tells me he had the following fact from
Lear. Langdon, Cabot, and some others of the Senate, standing in a knot
before the fire after the Senate had adjourned, and growling together
about some measure which they had just lost; 'Ah!' said Cabot,
'things will never go right till you have a President for life, and an
hereditary Senate.' Langdon told this to Lear, who mentioned it to the
President. The President seemed struck with it, and declared he had not
supposed there was a man in the United States who could have entertained
such an idea.

*****

*****

March the 2nd, 1797. I arrived at Philadelphia to qualify as
Vice-President, and called instantly on Mr. Adams, who lodged at
Francis's, in Fourth street. The next morning he returned my visit
at Mr. Madison's, where I lodged. He fo