turbed state for several days. Philadelphia merchants, on the
contrary, in large numbers, signed a memorial taking ground in favor of
the treaty. This was imitated elsewhere, and these memorials went into
the house of representatives with the denunciatory petitions.

In the midst of all this storm, Washington remained calm, with his hand
firmly resting upon the helm of state, and his eye steadily fixed upon
the great compass and chart of integrity by which his course was always
determined. In a reply to a friendly letter from General Knox, who
assured him of a changing opinion in New England in favor of the treaty,
he said:--

"Next to a conscientious discharge of my public duties, to carry
along with me the approbation of my constituents would be the
highest gratification my mind is susceptible of; but, the latter
being secondary, I can not make the former yield to it, unless some
criterion more infallible than partial (if they are not party)
meetings can be discovered, as the touchstone of public sentiment.
If any power on earth could, or the great Power above would, erect
the standard of infallibility in political opinions, there is no
being that inhabits this terrestrial globe that would resort to it
with more eagerness than myself, so long as I remain a servant of
the public. But as I have found no better guide, hitherto, than
upright intentions and close investigation, I shall adhere to those
maxims while I keep the watch, leaving it to those who will come
after me to explore new ways, if they like or think them better."

During the autumn, while these public discussions were at their height,
Washington was called upon to reconstruct his cabinet on account of the
resignation of Randolph, the secretary of state, and the death of
Bradford, the attorney-general, both events having occurred in August.
The president found some difficulty in filling Randolph's place. "In the
appointment of the great officers of government," Washington wrote to
Colonel Carrington in October, "my aim has been to combine geographical
situation, and sometimes other considerations, with abilities and
fitness of _known_ characters." He had offered the place successively to
Judge Paterson, of New Jersey, Thomas Johnson, of Maryland, Charles
Cotesworth Pinckney, of South Carolina, and Patrick Henry, of Virginia;
but they all declined. In his letter to Henry, who, it was unde