Hamilton gave in his. I believe Knox's was never thought worth offering
or asking for. Randolph gave his May the 6th, concurring with mine.
The President told me, the same day, he had never had a doubt about the
validity of the treaty; but that since a question had been suggested,
he thought it ought to be considered: that this being done, I might
now issue passports to sea-vessels in the form prescribed by the French
treaty. I had for a week past only issued the Dutch form; to have issued
the French, would have been presupposing the treaty to be in existence.
The President suggested, that he thought it would be as well
that nothing should be said of such a question having been under
consideration. Written May the 6th.
May the 6th, 1793. When the question was, whether the proclamation of
April the 22nd should be issued, Randolph observed, that there should
be a letter written by me to the ministers of the belligerent powers, to
declare that it should not be taken as conclusive evidence against our
citizens in foreign courts of admiralty, for contraband goods. Knox
suddenly adopted the opinion before Hamilton delivered his. Hamilton
opposed it pretty strongly. I thought it an indifferent thing, but
rather approved Randolph's opinion. The President was against it; but
observed that, as there were three for it, it should go. This was
the first instance I had seen of an opportunity to decide by a mere
majority, including his own vote.
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