He said that if Mr. Madison should refuse, he would still appoint
him, and leave the responsibility on him. I consulted Mr. Madison, who
declined, as I expected. I think it was on Monday the 6th of March, Mr.
Adams and myself met at dinner at General Washington's, and we happened,
in the evening, to rise from table and come away together. As soon as
we got into the street, I told him the event of my negotiation with Mr.
Madison. He immediately said, that, on consultation, some objections to
that nomination had been raised, which he had not contemplated; and was
going on with excuses which evidently embarrassed him, when we came to
Fifth street, where our road separated, his being down Market street,
mine off along Fifth, and we took leave: and he never after that said
one word to me on the subject, or ever consulted me as to any measures
of the government. The opinion I formed at the time on this transaction
was, that Mr. Adams, in the first moments of the enthusiasm of the
occasion (his inauguration), forgot party sentiments, and, as he never
acted on any system, but was always governed by the feeling of the
moment, he thought, for a moment, to steer impartially between the
parties; that Monday, the 6th of March, being the first time he had
met his cabinet, on expressing ideas of this kind, he had been at once
diverted from them, and returned to his former party views.
July, 1797.
Pages:
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843