The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2 - Online Library of ...

Online Library of Liberty: The Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris, vol. 2
talked themselves out of self-respect, and at head-quarters there is such an
abandonment of manner and such a pruriency of conversation as would reduce even
greatness to the level of vulgarity.
“As to the state of parties, the federalists are become a column of steel, and have such
a sense of their strength that there is no danger of desertion. The democrats feel their
weakness. Many of them begin to stagger, and will fly at the first shock. As yet they
have only heart-burnings among them, but murmurs will be heard before the session
closes. I do not think much can be done at the ensuing election, but even a small
change will work wonders; for, being of the courtier tribe, these patriots, as soon as
his majesty the people shall signify that he is about to fancy a new whim, will, as
usual, show their obsequiousness by outrunning his desires. The apparition ? and the
toast you heard of are accurately stated. I see little chance for him as a leader of any
party. Those he is with hate him, and though he has among them a few adherents they
will not follow his lead just now. He has, I think, considerable talents for government,
but I do not think the course which his situation compels him to pursue will command
respect or excite confidence. Time and circumstances do much.”
The Senate bill for the repeal of the Judiciary law passed the house by a majority of
59 yeas to 32 nays, on the 3d of March. On the 20th Morris spoke of it as follows in a
letter to Robert Livingston, Minister to France:
“We have here as yet nothing of importance except destroying the Constitution by
repealing the Judiciary law of last session, and reducing the military establishment of
the United States—at this moment so propitious to the reduction. We are, moreover,
going to repeal the internal taxes, because overwise ones think we have too much
revenue and that taxes give too much patronage. It is contemplated by the
administration to cobble up some holes they have made by repealing the Judiciary.
The chief seems to me in wretched plight. He is in the hard necessity of giving offices
to the unworthy and turning good officers out to make room for them. He will soon be
completely entangled in the meshes of his own folly. Your appointment is not a
favorite thing among them. When the “Beau”? messenger returned, he said the French
thought it very extraordinary that to succeed a minister who could not speak their
language, we had sent one who could not hear it. This will give what doctors call a
symptomatic indication; for, though straws and feathers be light things, they show
which way the wind blows. Our administration have received with coldness, and
treated with little attention, sundry applications made by Pichon which ought to have
been otherwise received and treated. You will, I think, feel this where you are. In fact,
they know not how to govern, and cannot possibly last. They begin already to want
confidence in themselves, and as the seeds of division sprout we shall have them
come over to us. The shrewdest will be the first. Burr is trying to place himself well
with us, and his measures are not without some success. His friends the democrats
fear and hate him, and he knows it. He intends making a visit to South Carolina; this
will excuse him from any special steps in his own State and leave him free to take a
position according to circumstances. I have not learned whether your friends continue
active in support of the administration. I think it is probable that they will, but I doubt
whether they will eventually have cause to rejoice at it. For my own part, I wish to get
out of this galley and live for myself. I shall then frequently laugh where now I must
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