In complaisance to him I whittled down the
expressions without opposition; struck out that of 'favors ancient and
recent' from France; softened some terms, and omitted some sentiments
respecting Great Britain. He still was against the whole, but insisted
that, at any rate, it should be a secret communication, because the
matters it stated were still depending. These were, 1. the inexecution
of the treaty; 2. the restraining our commerce to their own ports and
those of their friends. Knox joined Hamilton in every thing. Randolph
was for the communications; that the documents respecting the first
should be given in as public; but that those respecting the second
should not be given to the legislature at all, but kept secret. I began
to tremble now for the whole, lest all should be kept secret. I urged,
especially, the duty now incumbent on the President, to lay before the
legislature and the public what had passed on the inexecution of the
treaty, since Mr. Hammond's answer of this month might be considered
as the last we should ever have; that, therefore, it could no longer
be considered as a negotiation pending. I urged that the documents
respecting the stopping our corn ought also to go, but insisted that if
it should be thought better to withhold them, the restrictions should
not go to those respecting the treaty; that neither of these subjects
was more in a state of pendency than the recall of Mr.
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