Memoirs of the administrations of Washington and John Adams; edited from the papers of Oliver Wolcott, secretary of the treasury

Front matter

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MEMOIRS

OF THE

Chapter I. Fifth Congress Second Session

Correspondence, 1-3. — Meeting of Congress, 3. — Treasury Reports, 4. — Affairs of Western Country, 7. — Correspondence, 8-10. — President's Questions on Foreign Relations, 10. — Correspondence, 12, 13. — Arrival of X. Y. Z. Despatches, 13. — Message to Congress thereon, 14. — Account of the Mission, 15. — Expulsion of Pinckney and Marshall from France, 37. — Cabinet Council, 38. — Measures of Congress, 39. — Creation of Navy Department, 40. — Of Provisional Army, 41. — Correspondence, 42-56. — Further Measures, 57. — Washington appointed Lieutenant General, 59. — Opinions on Foreign Affairs, 59. — Abrogation of Treaties with France, 62. — Financial Measures, 63. — Direct Taxes laid, 66. — Correspondence, 68-73 — Adjournment of Congress, 73. — Alien and Sedition Laws, 73. — Defence of the Federal Measures, 83.

Chapter II. Summer And Fall Of 1798

Appointment of Officers in Provisional Army, 86. — Difficulties respecting Rank of Major Generals, 88. — Departure of the President for Quincy, 90. — Letter from Wolcott to the President on Rank of the Generals, 93. — Correspondence, 99-103. — Settlement of the Question of Rank, 103. — Fever in Philadelphia, 104. — Correspondence, 105-122. — Review of Mr. Gerry's negotiations, 122. — Departure of Mr. Gerry from Paris, 144. — Decree of the Directory respecting Privateers, 145. — His return to the United States, 148. — His Defence of Himself, 148. — His Letter to Talleyrand, 152. — Course of

Vi CONTENTS.

the Opposition in regard to Affairs with France, 154. — Letter of Fulwar Skipwith to Mr. Jefferson, 158. — Organization of the Opposition, 161. — Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions, 162. — Military and Financial Preparations, 163. — The Black Cockade, 166.

CHAPTER III. FIFTH CONGRESS THIRD SESSION a

Letter to the President on Subjects of Speech, 167. — Meeting of Congress, 172. — Reports from the Departments, 175. — Eight per cent. Loan, 178. — Report of Secretary of State on Mr. Gerry's Negotiations, 180. — Measures of Congress, 180. — Institution of New Mission to France, 184. — Circumstances attending the Measure, 185. — Barlow's Letter to Washington, 189. — Mr. Adams' alleged inducements to the Mission, 191. — Review of his Statement, 193. — Logan's Interview with Washington, 195. — Talleyrand's Overtures to Mr. Murray, 196. — Mr. Adams' Remarks thereon, 197. — Review of these Circumstances, 199. — His Message Nominating Mr. Murray, 203. — Interview with Committee of the Senate, 204. — Nomination of Ellsworth and Henry, 205. — Of Wm. R. Davie, 205. — Review of his Statements concerning the same, 205. — Mr. Adams' Account of the Cabinet Council, 209. — Defence of the Cabinet, 212. — Different Opinions respecting Policy towards France, 217. — Motives of the Opposition, 219. — Mr. Adams' Charges against the Federalists, 221. — Political Consequences of th'e Mission, 222.

Chapter IV. Summer Of 1799

Failure of Negotiations with Russia and Turkey, 226. — Arrangements with St. Domingo, 227. — Correspondence, 228-231. — Second Insurrection in Pennsylvania, 231. — Correspondence, 232, 233. — Military Affairs, 233. — Officers of Provisional Army Commissioned, 236. — Effects of Naval Armament, 237. — Correspondence, 238-247. — Preliminary Instructions to Mr. Murray, 247. — Cabinet Conference on Instructions to the Envoys, 248. — Talleyrand's Reply to Mr. Murray, 249. — Draft of Instructions, 250. — Proposed Articles of Treaty, 252. — Wolcott's Observations thereon, 257. — Correspondence, 262, 263. — Revolution of 30th Prairial, 263. — Proposed Suspension of Mission, 264. — Correspondence, 265-267. — Letter to President on Suspension, 267. — Return of the President to Philadelphia, 267. — Order to the Envoys to Embark, 268. — Mr. Adams' Account of these Transactions, 269. — Review of his Narrative, 272. — Consequences of the Measure, 277. — Corre-

a By an oversight, this is entitled in the The error was not discovered until too body of the work the Second Session, late for correction.

CONTENTS. Vii

spondence, 277-288. — Movements of the Opposition, 288. — New Elections, 289. — Positions of Patrick Henry and Mr. Madison, 289. — Former Sentiments of Mr. Madison, 289. — Death of Henry, 293. — Callender's Writings, 293. — His employment by Mr. Jefferson, 293. • — Jefferson's Letters on the subject, 295.

Chapter V. Sixth Congress First Session

Letter to President on Subjects of Speech, 299. — Suspension of Boards of Commissioners under British Treaty, 306. — Meeting of Congress, 308. — Speech to Congress, 308. — Political Opinion in Congress, 309. — Death of Washington, 310. — Reports of Secretary of Treasury, 311. — Correspondence, 312-324. — Report of Secretary of War, 324. — Estimates for 1800, 325. — Measures of Congress, 327. — Reports on Reduction of Army and Navy, and on Additional Revenues, 328. — Of Committee of Ways and Means on the Public Debt, 331. — Opinion of Committee on Management of the Treasury^?.— Mr. Gallatin's Reply, 338. — Affair of Thomas Nash, called Jonathan Robbins, 338. — Adjournment of Congress, 339. — Acts of the Session, 340. — Proposal of Mr. Liston of Treaty Stipulation for Restitution of Deserters, 342. — President's Letter on subject of a Public Printer, 344.

Chapter VI. Summer Of 1800

Resignation of Mr. McHenry, 346. — Letter from him on the subject, 346. — Dismissal of Col. Pickering, 348. — Mr. Adams' Alleged Reasons, 348. — Probable Motives, 351. — Observations on these Events, 356. — Character of Mr. McHenry, 357. — Appointments of Gen. Marshall and Mr. Dexter a3 Secretaries of State and War, 358. — Calumnies against Col. Pickering, 359.

— Pardon of Fries, 360. — Removal of Seat of Government to the City of Washington, 362. — Correspondence, 363. — Preparations for the Elections. 364. — Position of the Federal Party, 365. — Correspondence, 366-424. — Mr. Adams' Letter to Tench Coxe, 424. — His Letter to Mr. Pinckney, 425.

— His Charges of British Influence upon the Federalists, 427. — Mr. Hamilton's Letters to him on the Subject, 428. — Hamilton's " Letter concerning the Conduct and Character of John Adams," 429. — Correspondence, 430- 434. — Proceedings of the Embassy to France, 434. — Revolution of 18th Brumaire, 434. — Commercial Policy of Bonaparte, 435. — Results of the Negotiations, 436. — Conclusion of a Convention, 437. — Its Defence by the Envoys, 437. — Its Provisions, 438. — Mr. Adams' Opinions concerning it. 440.

viii CONTENTS.

Chapter VII. Sixth Congress Second Session

Letter to President on Subjects of Speech, 442. — Wolcott's Resignation of Treasury Department, 443. — Correspondence, 443-450. — President's Speech, 450. — "Wolcott's Letter to Speaker, requesting an Investigation into Condition of Treasury, 451. — Committee of Investigation, 451. — Report on Sinking Fund, 451. — On Internal Revenues, 452. — Condition of the Finances, 452. — Correspondence, 455-463. — Appointments to Treasury, &c, 463. — Conditional Ratification of Convention with France, 464. — Character of the Convention, 465. — Mr. Adams' Opinion of its Merits, 465. — Correspondence, 467-469. — Report on Condition of the Treasury, 469. — Retirement of Wolcott, 476. — Fires in the Offices of War and the Treasury, 478. — Charges against Wolcott and others, 478. — Examination of Circumstances of the Fires, 480. — Wolcott's Notes on the Affair, 481. — Character of the Charges, 482. — Measures of the Session, 484. — The Judiciary Law, 485.

— Hostility of Anti-Federalists to the Judiciary, 485. — Presidential Election, 487. — Wolcott's Remarks thereon, 488. — Examination of Charge against the Federal Party, 489. — Correspondence, 489,490. — Wolcott appointed Circuit Judge, 491. — Correspondence, 491-495. — His Acceptance, 496. — Correspondence, 496-498. — End of Mr. Adams' Administration, 498. — Concluding Remarks, 499. — General Character of the American Colonies 499. — Obstacles to a Constitution, 501. — Merits of the Constitution, 502.

— Difficulties of the Federal Administrations, 503. — Democratic tendencies of the People, 505. — Grounds of Opposition to the Federal Administrations, 506. — Causes of its Success, 507. — Qualifications of Mr. Adams, 508. — Defence of the Federal Administrations, 508. — Their Merits, 513.

MEMOIRS

OF THE

FEDERAL ADMINISTRATIONS.