onies to Europe to assist Adams
and Franklin in negotiating treaties of commerce. He was the means which
brought about our system of coins, doing away with the old English
pounds, shillings and pence, substituting the dollar and fractions of a
dollar, even down to a cent. He became our Minister to France in 1785 in
place of Franklin who had resigned. Here he did good service for his
country by securing the admission into France of tobacco, flour, rice
and various other American products.

Being offered the head of Washington's cabinet, he accepted it.
Immediately upon his entrance into the cabinet, in 1790, began the
struggle between the Federalist and Republican parties, their leaders,
Hamilton and now Jefferson, both being members of the cabinet. Jefferson
was probably the real originator of the State sovereignity idea, and the
constitution did not wholly meet his approval. He thought better of it,
however, when he became President and felt more forcibly the need of
authority in such a trying position.

He had just returned from an extended trip through Europe, and he
contended that the world was governed too much. He was intensely
Democratic in his belief and as the head of the then rising Republican
party--now the Democratic--opposed all measures which tended toward
centralizing in one government, characterizing all such measures as
leading to monarchy.

Washington was a Federalist, and in all the leading measures gave his
support to Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Jefferson's opponent. As it was out of the
question for Jefferson to remain in the cabinet of an executive wholly
at variance with him politically, he accordingly resigned in 1793 and
retired to his farm at 'Monticello' to attend to his private affairs as
he was embarrassed financially at this time, and his attention was very
much needed.

In 1796, Washington designing to retire from public service, the two
great parties decided upon Adams and Jefferson as their
standard-bearers; the electoral votes being counted, it was found that
Adams stood first and Jefferson next. Adams was therefore declared
president and Jefferson, according to existing law, vice-president.
Then followed the alien and sedition laws and the war demonstrations
against France by the federal party, which was objected to by the
Republicans. The bearing of France became so unendurable that Washington
offered to take his place at the head of the army. Finding all else of
no avail, the Republicans