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652

MUTUAL MISTAKES.

[CHAP. XII. knowledge concerning him in these particulars. If they acted unjustly, we have no doubt they acted sincerely. They completely misunderstood him. He equally misunderstood them, and the motives of their attack. This state of things continued throughout the life of that generation, and there are not wanting representatives and successors of both the parties, who appear anxious to perpetuate it through all time by fiercely reiterating invectives unproven and improbable when first uttered -absurd even in the mouths of enraged combatants-and despicable and purely malicious when kept up by men in cold blood who had no connection with the original dispute.

CHAPTER XIII.

1801-1802.

Changes called for in the Scale of our Narrative-The first important Question to be determined by the Administration-Appointments and Removals-Jefferson to Dr. Rush on the Subject-His Moderation not relished by all of his own Party-His Policy considered-Its Success-Federal Murmurs-The Removal of Goodrich-Memorial of New Haven Merchants thereon and President's Reply-Spirit of Connecticut Federalism exemplified-Correspondence between General Knox and the President-President lays down a Rule in regard to appointing his Relatives to Office-His Letter to Samuel Adams-To Gerry-He visits Home-Domestic affairs-Letters to Mrs. Eppes-He returns to Washington-Commodore Dale sent with a Fleet to the MediterraneanInsults of the Barbary Powers-President's Letter to Foreign-born Citizens-Forms and Maxims of Administration established-Anecdote of Abolition of Levees-Letters to Mrs. Eppes-President passes the Unhealthy Season at home-His inofficial Letter to Livingston on the Subjects of his Mission-Letter to Short on the Impropriety of long Diplomatic Tenures-Rules of Official Intercourse between President and Cabinet established-Letter to Monroe in respect to colonizing Insurgent Blacks of VirginiaLetters to Mrs. Eppes-Result of State Elections of 1801-Meeting of Congress-Distinguished Members-Organization-President discontinues Executive Speeches-The Days of State Ceremonials passed-President's first Annual Message-Its Mode of making Recommendations to Congress-Its Contents attacked by the Federalists-The published Strictures of Hamilton-His Positions and Manner of treating the PresidentHis Eulogium on the Constitution which he accuses Jefferson of attacking-His private Denunciation of the Constitution within two months of same date-First Struggle of Parties in Congress on admitting Reporters-Breckenridge moves the Repeal of Judiciary Act of preceding Session-The Constitutional Power to repeal-President's Attitude on the Question-Opposition of the Federalists-Passage of the Bill-A second Judiciary Bill-The Census, and the Apportionment Bill-Military Peace Establishment -Diminution of Civil Officers and Reduction of Salaries-Internal Taxes abolishedThe Naturalization Laws restored to their former Footing-Redemption of the Public Debt-Law to regulate Indian Trade and Intercourse-The general Change in the Spirit of the Government--The Nolo Episcopari of the President carried out-Randolph's Tribute on this subject-Sightless Cyclops in the ascendant, and Wise Ulysses grumbling among elderly Ladies and writing History.

Ir would perhaps be expected, in the ordinary course of biography, that having reached the period of Mr. Jefferson's own administration of our government, our narrative of public events, of Cabinet and Congressional affairs, and of the political history of the times generally, would become more minute than

654

CHANGE IN SCALE OF NARRATIVE.

[CHAP. XIII.

In some par

heretofore. Such will not, however, be the case. ticulars the scale of recital will be abridged-in others we shall cease to give any attention to classes of facts which have previously received much attention.

This change appears to us to be called for by circumstances which are intrinsic to the subject. We have been recording a great struggle of parties. To a clear understanding of it, it was necessary to develop the public and private professions, motives and conduct, of the principal actors. This development was due to historic truth and to individual character. The picture cannot be perfect where the central figures lack those accessories which explain the action. If Ajax rushes forth slaughtering, we should see, as the mark of his insanity, his sword falling upon beasts instead of the sons of Atreus. If Hercules fiercely plies his club, let us see the sprouting heads of Hydra. If Laocoön writhes, let the enveloping folds of the serpents explain the cause of his horror and his agony.

With Mr. Jefferson's accession to the Presidency, the great struggle of parties was substantially over, so far as the national theatre of action was concerned. Henceforth, the Federalists were but a local faction. For a few more years they were to retain the ability to make a prodigious clamor, and, on rare occasions, to embarrass the action of the Government; but resting under settled popular condemnation—not able in any exigency to elect either a President or a majority of Congress-they ceased to possess the responsibility or importance of a party a portion of the time in power, and the rest of the time seriously checking or influencing the action of their opponents. Individual opinions and proceedings also cease to be interesting, except occasionally to illustrate the spirit of the times, where they only represent totally irresponsible minorities.

The Republican party itself presents few points for eurious and detailed investigation. It had no esoteric creed differing from its exoteric profession-no curious system of double meaning political nomenclature conveying one idea to the initiated and another to the multitude. It had no secret-no great hidden schemes--no important intestine intrigues-no personal cabals that controlled the course of public events.

The Administration no longer vibrated between hostile policies on the determination of a casting vote-it was no longer an

CHAP. XIII.]

CHANGE IN SCALE OF NARRATIVE.

655

association where discordance of views, hate and treachery sepa rated the head and the parts.

The Ship of State was no longer beating up against the deep fixed currents of popular sentiment-depending upon casual breezes to force her onward, and always meeting those currents in roar and in foam on her bows.

The President's Cabinet consisted of able, discreet men, firmly attached to their chief, and to remain united in the closest bonds of official harmony with each other so long as the paramount influence of that chief was felt. in their deliberations.--To the period of Mr. Jefferson's retirement, there never was a contest in the Cabinet, never an opposition to his views after they became settled by consultation, never a thorn of continued opposition left rankling between any two members.

The Cabinet was not for a moment, or to the slightest degree, brought into an attitude of opposition, misunderstanding, or jealousy, with the Republican majority in Congress. The President was charged by the opposition with ruling Congress with such an absolute sway that he often omitted even to assign the reasons for the measures he directed. The charge was without foundation. But the majority concurred with him in sentiment, knew that he represented the political principles and spirit of their constituents, and they deferred to his opinions as prudent men of less experience always defer to the opinions of tried and great statesmen.

And the President concurred as closely with the American people as with their representatives. An immense majority of them sustained all his executive measures, idolized him as their political chief, and had no second leader who approached him in their affections.

To give public political results, is therefore to give nearly all of his political history which is of any great importance. We have no occasion to record cabinet or caucus consultations where all agreed. The public history of Congress includes all that is important in its private history. This leader's and that leader's individual opinions and actions need not be stated where they were alike and tended to a common result. It is not necessary elaborately to trace out the separate strands of historic narration, where they are found to be substantially the same in material and texture.

656

EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS AND REMOVALS. [СНАР. ХІІІ.

The first important point to be settled in President Jefferson's Administration was the manner of exercising the executive power of making official appointments and removals. As there had been no previous political change in the Administration, the question in political aspects was a new one. The incumbents were generally Federalists. We have already mentioned Mr. Jefferson's conversational remark that he found but one of the army officers, appointed by his predecessor, a Republican. The exclusion, in civil offices, had been nearly as rigorous. The later appointees had been not only Federalists, but in most instances of the most virulent class of partisans. Instances were not wanting where they had left other good positions to take these appointments after Mr. Jefferson's election was known. There appears to have been a prevailing idea (as we have shown existed in regard to cabinet appointments), that executive appointees virtually held on a good behavior tenure. To concede this and to leave all the public officers of the new government to wield their united official power and influence against it, would seem to involve a most absurd contradiction in the theory and practice of politics.

Mr. Jefferson's views of the circumstances and his conclusions are set forth very fully in a letter to Dr. Rush of March 24th, 1801. It embodies the substance of many other letters of the same period, and the determinations which were substantially carried into practice.

"With regard to appointments, I have so much confidence in the justice and good sense of the Federalists, that I have no doubt they will concur in the fairness of the position, that after they have been in the exclusive possession of all offices from the very first origin of party among us, to the 3d of March, at 9 o'clock in the night, no Republican ever admitted, and this doctrine newly avowed, it is now perfectly just that the Republicans should come in for the vacancies which may fall in, until something like an equilibrium in office be restored. But the great stumbling block will be removals, which though made on those just principles only on which my predecessor ought to have removed the same persons, will nevertheless be ascribed to removal on party principles. 1st. I will expunge the effects of Mr. A.'s indecent conduct, in crowding nominations after he knew they were not for himself, till 9 o'clock of the night, at 12 o'clock of which he was to go out of office. So far as they are during pleasure, I shall not consider the persons named, even as candidates for the office, nor pay the respect of notifying them that I consider what was done as a nullity. 2d. Some removals must be made for misconduct. One of these is of the marshal in your city, who being an officer of justice, intrusted with the function of choosing impartial judges for the trial of his fellow citizens, placed at the awful

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