CHAP. XIII.] AN AFRICAN OVATION. 553 was seen rapidly approaching. The negroes raised a shout. The postillions plied their whips, and in a moment more, the carriage was in their midst. Martha's description of what ensued is sufficiently accurate until the summit of the notch between Monticello and Carter's Mountain was attained. She says, the carriage was almost drawn up by hand. We consider old Wormley's authority the best on this point! He pointed out the very spot soon after the carriage had turned off from the highway, when in spite of the entreaties and commands (not however, we imagine, very sternly uttered!) of the "old master," the horses were detached and the shouting crowd pushed and dragged the heavy vehicle at no snail's pace up the further ascent, until it reached the lawn in front of the house. Mr. Jefferson had no idea whatever of being "toted" (Africanice for "carried") from the carriage door into his house-riding on men not being to his taste. But who can control his destiny? Not a word could be heard in the wild uproar, and when he stepped from the carriage he unexpectedly landed on a cluster of swarthy arms, and amidst the oriental salutations described by Martha, was borne once more under his own roof-tree. The crowd respectfully broke apart for the young ladies, and as the stately, graceful Martha and the little fairy-like Maria advanced between the dark lines, escorted by "Jack Eppes," shouts rent the sky and many a curly-headed urchin was held aloft to catch a look of what their mothers and sisters were already firmly persuaded could not be paralled in the Ancient Dominion! CHAPTER XIV. 1789-1790. Jefferson appointed Secretary of State-Washington's Letters-Jefferson's Reply-His Feelings towards Washington-Appointments further pressed and accepted-Marriage of Martha Jefferson-Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr.-Mr. Jefferson's Journey to New York-Interview with Franklin-Personal Arrangements-Jefferson's Account of the Political Tone of Society in New York-Were his Impressions well founded?-Revolutionary Politics in that City-Loyalism and Whiggery in that State-Form of Government not necessarily in Question-Causes which led to Formation of ConstitutionInfluence of Shay's Insurrection on Public Mind-Rise of a Reactionary or Monarchical Party Jefferson's persistent Assertion of such a Party-Charged such Views on Individuals-Reasons for investigating these Charges His Statements compared with Judge Marshall's-With General Knox's-With Colonel Humphreys'-With John Jay's -With Mr. Madison's-With General Washington's-Hamilton's Plan in Convention of 1787-His Speech in favor of Monarchy-Objections to Madison's Report of Speech examined-Governeur Morris's Speech in the Convention-Project of making Bishop of Osnaburg King-Hamilton's Share in forming the Constitution-Hostile Testimony discarded-Morris's Statements-How far Hamilton really approved of the Constitution-His public Declarations-His confidential Disclosures-Declares the Constitution 66 a frail and worthless Fabric "-His Estimate of the American People-Morris's Testimony to Hamilton's Views and his own-Hostility of the Hamiltonians to the Constitution-Fisher Ames's Declarations-Theodore Sedgwick's-Oliver Wolcott's, Sen. -John Adams's-Other Tests besides Declarations-Does the Charge of a Monarchical Party rest on Jefferson's Assertions?-The general Belief of the Republicans in the Existence of a Monarchical Party-The seven first Presidents concur in that Belief— General Washington's Testimony-John Adams's-Madison's-Monroe's-John Q. Adams's-General Jackson's. WHILE Mr. Jefferson was at the seat of his brother-in-law, Mr. Eppes, at Eppington, on his way from Norfolk to Monticello, he received the following letters from General Washington, tendering him the appointment of Secretary of State; the second being accompanied by a commission for that office: NEW YORK, October 18, 1789. SIR, In the selection of characters to fill the important offices of Government, in the United States, I was naturally led to contemplate the talents and dispositions which I knew you to possess and entertain for the service of your country; and CHAP. XIV.] APPOINTED SECRETARY OF STATE. 555 without being able to consult your inclination, or to derive any knowledge of your intention from your letters, either to myself or to any other of your friends, I was determined, as well by motives of private regard, as a conviction of public propriety, to nominate you for the department of State, which, under its present organization, involves many of the most interesting objects of the Executive authority. But grateful as your acceptance of this commission would be to me, I am, at the same time, desirous to accommodate your wishes, and I have, therefore, forborne to nominate your successor at the court of Versailles, until I should be informed of your determination. Being on the eve of a journey through the Eastern States, with a view to observe the situation of the country, and in a hope of perfectly reëstablishing my health, which a series of indispositions has much impaired, I have deemed it proper to make this communication of your appointment, in order that you might lose no time, should it be your wish to visit Virginia during the recess of Congress, which will probably be the most convenient season, both as it may respect your private concerns, and the public service. Unwilling, as I am, to interfere in the direction of your choice of assistance, I shall only take the liberty of observing to you, that, from warm recommendations which I have received on behalf of Roger Alden, Esq., assistant Secretary to the late Congress, I have placed all the papers thereunto belonging, under his care. Those papers which more properly appertain to the office of Foreign Affairs, are under the superintendence of Mr. Jay, who has been so obliging as to continue his good offices, and they are in the immediate charge of Mr. Remsen. With sentiments of very great esteem and regard, I have the honor to be, sir, Your most obedient servant, GEORGE WASHINGTON. The Honorable Thomas Jefferson. I take this occasion to acknowledge the receipt of your several favors, of the 4th and 5th of December of the last, and 10th of May of the present year, and to thank you for the communications therein. G. W. NEW YORK, November 30, 1789. DEAR SIR, You will perceive by the inclosed letter (which was left for you at the office of Foreign Affairs, when I made a journey to the Eastern States), the motives on which I acted with regard to yourself, and the occasion of my explaining them at that early period. Having now reason to hope, from Mr. Trumbull's report, that you will be arrived at Norfolk before this time (on which event I would most cordially congratulate you), and having a safe conveyance by Mr. Griffin, I forward your commission to Virginia; with a request to be made acquainted with your sentiments as soon as you shall find it convenient to communicate them to me. With sentiments of very great esteem and regard, I am, dear sir, Your most obedient humble servant, The Honorable Thomas Jefferson. GEORGE WASHINGTON. 556 HESITATES ON ACCEPTANCE. [CHAP. XIV. Mr. Jefferson, as his letter to Mr. Madison from France would prepare us to expect, received this proffer with "real regret.' He replied to it as follows: SIR, CHESTERFIELD, December 15, 1789. I have received at this place the honor of your letters of October the 13th and November the 30th, and am truly flattered by your nomination of me to the very dignified office of Secretary of State, for which, permit me here to return you my humble thanks. Could any circumstance seduce me to overlook the disproportion between its duties and my talents, it would be the encouragement of your choice. But when I contemplate the extent of that office, embracing as it does the principal mass of domestic administration, together with the foreiga, I canno be insensible of my inequality to it; and I should enter on it with gloomy forebodings from the criticisms and censures of a public, just indeed in their intentions, but sometimes misinformed and misled, and always too respectable to be neglected. I cannot but foresee the possibility that this may end disagreeably for me, who, having no motive to public service but the public satisfaction, would certainly retire the moment that satisfaction should appear to languish. On the other hand, I feel a degree of familiarity with the duties of my present office, as far, at least, as I am capable of understanding its duties. The ground I have already passed over enables me to see my way into that which is before me. The change of government, too, taking place in the country where it is exercised, seems to open a possibility of procuring from the new rulers some new advantages in commerce, which may be agreeable to our countrymen. So that as far as my fears, my hopes, or my inclination might enter into this question, I confess they would not lead me to prefer a change. But it is not for an individual to choose his post. You are to marshal us as may be best for the public good; and it is only in the case of its being indifferent to you, that I would avail myself of the option you have so kindly offered in your letter. If you think it better to transfer me to another post, my inclination must be no obstacle; nor shall it be, if there is any desire to suppress the office I now hold, or to reduce its grade. In either of these cases, be so good only as to signify to me by another line your ultimate wish, and I shall conform to it cordially. If it should be to remain at New York, my chief comfort will be to work under your eye, my only shelter the authority of your name, and the wisdom of measures to be dictated by you and implicitly executed by me. Whatever you may be pleased to decide, I do not see that the matters which have called me hither will permit me to shorten the stay I originally asked; that is to say, to set out on my journey northward till the month of March. As early as possible in that month, I shall have the honor of paying my respects to you in New York. In the meantime, I have that of tendering you the homage of those sentiments of respectful attachment with which I am, sir, your most obedient and most humble servant, TH. JEFFERSON. This was as strong an expression of unwillingness to accept the office as Mr. Jefferson's sense of duty and his very strong 1 Memoir. CHAP. XIV.] RENEWED INVITATION AND ACCEPTANCE. 557 feelings of reverence and affection towards General Washington would permit him to make. On receiving this letter, the President deferred his reply until he should hear from Mr. Madison, who had been on a visit to Monticello, and who was able to correct some of Mr. Jefferson's impressions in regard to the duties of the proffered office. Receiving Madison's information,' the President again wrote Jefferson January 21st. He very kindly declined to oppose the personal inclinations of the latter if they should continue adverse to an acceptance of the appointment, after being made "acquainted with the light" in which the President "viewed the office of Secretary of State;" and he also stated that "he did not know that any alteration was likely to take place in the commission from the United States to the Court of France." The letter was long, and the following is the only paragraph in it which seems to require quotation: "I consider the successful administration of the general government as an object of almost infinite consequence to the present and future happiness of the citizens of the United States. I consider the office of Secretary for the Department of State very important on many accounts, and I know of no person who, in my judgment, could better execute the duties of it than yourself. Its duties will probably be not quite so arduous and complicated in their execution as you may have been led at the first moment to imagine. At least, it was the opinion of Congress that, after the division of all the business of a domestic nature between the Departments of the Treasury, War, and State, those which would be comprehended in the latter might be performed by the same person who should have the charge of conducting the department of foreign affairs. The experiment was to be made, and if it shall be found that the fact is different, I have little doubt that a further arrangement or division of the business in the office of the Department of State will be made in such manner as to enable it to be performed, under the superintendence of one man, with facility to himself, as well as with advantage and satisfaction to the public. These observations, however, you will be pleased to remark, are merely matters of opinion. But in order that you may be better prepared to make your ultimate decision on good grounds, I think it necessary to add one fact, which is this, that your late appointment has given very extensive and very great 1 Mr. Madison wrote the President after his visit to Monticello: "A few days before I was allowed to set out for New York, I took a ride to Monticello. The answer of Mr. Jefferson to the notification of his appointment will no doubt have explained the state of his mind on the subject. I was sorry to find him so little biased in favor of the domestic service allotted to him, but was glad that his difficulties seemed to result chiefly from what I take to be an erroneous view of the kind and quantity of business annexed to that, which constituted the foreign department. He apprehends that it will far exceed the latter, which has of itself no terrors to him. On the other hand, it was supposed, and I believe truly, that the domestic part will be very trifling, and for that reason improper to be made a distinct department. After all, if the whole business can be executed by any one man, Mr. Jefferson must be equal to it. All whom I have heard speak on the subject, are remarkably solicitous for his acceptance, and I flatter myself, that they will not in the event be disappointed."-January 4th, 1790 |