chamber to take the oath, attended by the marshal of the United States, who should then make proclamation, &c. Knox was for this, and for adding the House of Representatives to the presence, as they would not yet be departed. Our individual opinions were written, to be communicated to the President, out of which he might form one. In the course of our conversation, Knox, stickling for parade, got into great warmth, and swore that our government must either be entirely new modeled, or it would be knocked to pieces in less than ten years; and that as it is at present, he would not give a copper for it; that it is the President's character, and not the written constitution, which keeps it together.

Same Day. Conversation with Lear. He expressed the strongest confidence that republicanism was the universal creed of America, except of a very few; that a republican administration must of necessity immediately overbear the contrary faction; said that he had seen with extreme regret that a number of gentlemen had for a long time been endeavoring to instil into the President, that the noise against the administration of the government was that of a little faction, which would soon be silent, and which was detested by the people, who were contented and prosperous; that this very party, however, began to see their error, and that the sense of America was bursting forth to their conviction.

March 2d, 1793. See in the papers of this date, Mr. Giles's resolutions. He and one or two others were sanguine enough to believe that the palpableness of these resolutions rendered it impossible the House could reject them. Those who knew the composition of the House, 1, of bank directors; 2, holders of bank stock; 3,

stock jobbers; 4, blind devotees; 5, ignorant persons who did not comprehend them; 6, lazy and good-humored persons, who comprehended and acknowledged them, yet were too lazy to examine, or unwilling to pronounce censure; the persons who knew these characters, foresaw that the three first descriptions making one-third of the House, the three latter would make one-half of the residue; and, of course, that they would be rejected by a majority of two to one. But they thought that even this rejection would do good, by showing the public the desperate and abandoned dispositions with which their affairs were conducted. These resolutions were proposed, and nothing spared to present them in the fullness of demonstration. There were not more than three or four who voted otherwise than had been expected.

It is known that Murray of Maryland deals in paper.

Mar. 23, 1793. The following list of paper-men is communicated to me by Mr. Beckley.

Gilman Stockholder in U. S. Bank.
Gerry. Stockholder.

Sedgewick.

Ames. Stockholder.

Goodhue. Stockholder.

Bourne of Rhode Island, suspected only.

Trumbul. Stockholder.

Wadsworth.* Stockholder.

Hillhouse. Stockholder.

Learned. Stockholder.

Laurence. Stockholder and Director.

Fitsimmons.* Stockholder and director.

Heister. Stockholder.

Sterret.

Murray. Stockholder.

Williamson.*t Stockholder.

Smith. Stockholder and Director for himself and his

proxies, his vote is near one-fifth of the whole. Cabot.* Stockholder and Director.

March 30th, 1793. At our meeting at the President's, February 25th, in discussing the question, whether we should furnish to France the three millions of livres desired, Hamilton, in speaking on the subject, used this expression, "When Mr. Genet arrives, whether we shall receive him or not, will then be a question for discussion," which expression I did not recollect till E. Randolph reminded me of it a few days after. Therefore, on the 20th, instant, as the President was shortly to set out for Mount Vernon, I observed to him, that as Genet might arrive in his absence, I wished to know beforehand how I should treat hini, whether as a person

Mar. 25. Beckley says he has this day discovered that Benson is a stock. holder. Also Borne of Rhode Island and Key. T. J.

• These are known to Beckley. T. J. These avowed it in the presence of T. J.

T. J.