1 7 9 3 disrespectful and indecent course; that the people would not follow the extremists who justified Genet and were "running wild in democratic clubs and fraternizations, wearing liberty caps, and aping revolutionary slang." On the third of August, he wrote to Madison: "He will sink the Republican interest if they do not abandon him." Jefferson therefore stepped aside and thus avoided being caught in the consequent disaster. When its effects had passed, his party remembered that he had not lost his head and trusted him more than ever. Jefferson December 31, 1793 The Genet imbroglio served, however, to make Jefferson's position in the cabinet still more delicate and irksome. It led Washington still further from the Republicans toward the Federalists and correspondingly increased the influence of Hamilton. On the thirty-first of July, 1793, Jefferson again announced his intention of resigning, but Washington induced him to remain in office until the end of the year when he gave up his secretaryship. On the second of January, 1794, Edmund Randolph was appointed secretary of state. Considering the anomalous character of Jefferson's position, his resignation was wise, but he was severely criticised for leaving office by the very men who had long censured him for remaining in it. From this time forward, Washington was what may properly be called "a party president," while Jefferson, from his home at Monticello, was the leader of the opposition. Edm: Randolph The Yellow Early in July of this year, a strange and fatal disease Fever Scourge that the physicians did not understand appeared at Philadelphia and spread from street to street until, by the latter part of August, the whole population of the city was in a panic. Many fled with their household goods and those who remained stayed as closely within doors as possible. The public offices were temporarily removed 17 9 3 from the city and the Pennsylvania general assembly hastily adjourned-fortunately, congress was not in session. It is estimated that seventeen thousand persons left the town and that of those who remained one in five died-in two months, the number of city burials was more than four thousand. November frosts, proving more potent than physician, calomel, and jalap, drove the pestilence away and the fugitives returned. While Death was hovering over the bank of the Delaware, Freneau's National Gazette disappeared; its mantle of notoriety and influence fell upon Bache's Aurora, a paper that was not much more decent although it was edited by a grandson of Benjamin Franklin whose name Bache Restricted British Posts in American Territory CHAPTER VI BRITISH T DIPLOMACY AND THE NORTHWEST HE temptation to make common to make common cause with France was strengthened by the insolent attitude of Great Britain. The liberal spirit that the British government had displayed in the negotiations that led up to the treaty of peace soon gave way to what looked like cold contempt. In 1785, John Adams was sent to London as the duly accredited minister of the United States, but Great Britain did not send a minister to America and steadfastly refused to make a treaty of commerce. American trade was subjected to the vexatious restrictions of British navigation laws and the trade with the West Indies was so crippled that the New England commercial classes complained loudly. The purpose of this course, it was believed by many, was "to make the states feel as much as possible the inconveniences of separation, so that they might be more willing to come back to their old allegiance." A greater grievance was that Great Britain continued to hold some of the posts that she had agreed to surrender. The excuse was that, as to British debts and Tories, the United States had not lived up to the terms of the treaty; the real reason probably was a disinclination to relinquish control of the rich fur trade of the Northwest and a desire to retain an influence over the tribes of that region in order that "in case of war with America or Spain the tomahawk and scalping knife might once more be called into requisition." The posts thus held were Dutchman's Point on Lake Champlain, Oswegatchie on the Saint 1 7 8 9 Lawrence, Oswego, Niagara, Erie, Detroit, and Michili- 1 7 9 1 mackinac. Hoping to secure an adjustment of the questions in Morris's dispute, Washington sent Gouverneur Morris, in the fall Mission of 1789, as an informal agent to London. But Morris was treated much as Adams had been and was forced to the conclusion that the only way in which England could be induced to adopt a more friendly attitude was to threaten retaliation and to draw closer to France. Meanwhile, England had become involved in a quarrel A War Cloud with Spain and, for a time, war seemed imminent. In the United States it was feared that England might wrest Louisiana from Spain and thus become our neighbor on the west as well as on the north. There was also a fear that in attempting such a conquest she might violate American neutrality by marching troops across our territory. In Washington's cabinet there were differences of opinion as to what should be done. Hamilton thought that, if war broke out, the United States should assist England against Spain, while Jefferson favored forming an alliance with Spain and endeavoring to draw France into the combination. The controversy was peacefully settled by the convention of Nootka Sound but, while October 28, the possibility of war existed, Great Britain's statesmen 1790 began to ask themselves whether it would not be well to have a representative at the capital of the new republic. Acting under orders from England, our long-time Diplomatic acquaintance, Sir Guy Carleton, now Lord Dorchester and Agents governor of Canada, sent Lieutenant-colonel Beckwith to New York as his informal representative. Jefferson had not yet become secretary of state and Beckwith entered into relations with Hamilton. Even after Jefferson took office, this plan of communication was continued, for Beckwith's mission, says Jefferson, was 'so informal that it was thought proper that I should never speak on business with him." Late in 1791, George Hammond, a regularly accredited British minister, arrived at Philadelphia, then the seat of government. 66 1783 Washington thereupon appointed Thomas Pinckney of 1 7 9 2 South Carolina, as the United States minister to England On the and the appointment was confirmed by the senate in January, 1792. About the same time, Gouverneur Morris, who was still at London, was confirmed as minister to France. The exchange of representatives by Great Britain and the United States was not immediately productive of important results. Hammond was without power to conclude a commercial treaty and efforts to secure the execution of the old treaty resulted only in a long and fruitless wrangle in which each power accused the other of being the first to violate the terms of the compact. Meanwhile, the presence of the British at the Northwest posts had intensified a troublesome situation in that region. The treaty of peace had not brought peace along the far-flung line of the western advance. This was due in part to the irrepressible conflict between civilization and barbarism, but Spanish intrigues in the Southwest and British intrigues in the Northwest were also partly responsible. To what extent the British had fomented Indian hostilities is a matter of some doubt. It appears that they did not desire a general war that would diminish the supply of furs, but hostilities that would impede settlement and keep the Americans out of the region would work to their advantage-"a dangerous policy and likely to get beyond control." The British home government was probably guiltless of any direct instigation and, until 1794, the same may be said of the higher Canadian authorities. With their subordinates in the Northwest the case was different. British traders and officials listened to stories of Indian wrongs with sympathetic ears and furnished the red men with provisions and arms, while renegade Tories, like Simon Girty, and some of the French Canadians from Detroit actually accompanied the war parties on forays. The British claimed that the presents and supplies were only those that they were accustomed to give in times of peace; but the Indians did not use them peaceably. In the words of Professor |