' Otis said, 'We
insist on convoys for our European trade, and _guarda-costas_, on which
condition alone, we will give them galleys and fortifications.' Rutledge
observed, that in the event of war, McHenry and Pickering must go out;
Wolcott, he thought, might remain, but the others were incapable of
conducting a war. Otis said the eastern people would never abandon
Pickering; he must be retained; McHenry might go. They considered
together whether General Pinckney would accept the office of
Secretary of War. They apprehended he would not. It was agreed in this
conversation, that Sewall had more the ear of the President than any
other person.
March the 12th. When the bill for appropriations was before the
Senate, Anderson moved to strike out a clause recognising (by way
of appropriation) the appointment of a committee by the House of
Representatives, to sit during their recess to collect evidence on
Blount's case, denying they had power, but by a law, to authorize a
committee to sit during recess. Tracy advocated the motion, and said,
'We may as well speak out. The committee was appointed by the House of
Representatives, to take care of the British minister, to take care of
the Spanish minister, to take care of the Secretary of State, in short,
to take care of the President of the United States. They were afraid
the President and Secretary of State would not perform the office of
collecting evidence faithfully; that there would be collusion, &c.
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