He said, he
could see no ground of doubt, but that he ought to be received. On the
24th, he asked E. Randolph's opinion on the subject, saying, he had
consulted Colonel Hamilton thereon, who went into lengthy considerations
of doubt and difficulty, and viewing it as a very unfortunate thing,
that the President should have the decision of so critical a point
forced on him; but in conclusion, said, since he was brought into that
situation, he did not see but that he must receive Mr. Genet. Randolph
told the President, he was clear he should be received, and the
President said, he had never had any doubt on the subject in his mind.
Afterwards on the same day, he spoke to me again on it, and said, Mr.
Genet should unquestionably be received; but he thought not with too
much warmth or Cordiality, so only as to be satisfactory to him. I
wondered at first at this restriction: but when Randolph afterwards
communicated to me his conversation of the 24th, I became satisfied it
was a small sacrifice to the opinion of Hamilton.
March the 31st. Mr. Beckley tells me, that the merchants' bonds for
duties on six months' credit became due the 1st instant, to a very great
amount; that Hamilton went to the bank on that day, and directed the
bank to discount for those merchants all their bonds at thirty days,
and that he would have the collectors credited for the money at the
treasury. Hence, the treasury lumping its receipts by the month in its
printed accounts, these sums will be considered by the public as only
received on the last day; consequently, the bank makes the month's
interest out of it.
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