The letter by which he delegates the command to him, is that of a virtuous man, at least as to the major part of the fentiments which it contains; he afterwards fet out for Philadelphia, where he has just arrived, and Mr. Hamilton remains with the

army.

21. This laft circumftance unveils all the plan of the Secretary; he prefides over the military operations, in order to acquire, in the fight of his enemies, a formidable and impofing confideration. He and Mr. Lee, the commander in chief, agree perfectly in principles. The Governors of Jersey and Maryland harmonize entirely with them; the Governor of Pennsylvania, of whom it never would have been fufpected, lived intimately and publicly with Hamilton, Such a union of perfons would be matter fufficient to produce refiftance in the western counties, even admitting they had not thought of making any.

σε 22. The foldiers themfelves are aftonished at the fcandalous gaiety, with which thofe who possess the fecret, proclaim their approaching triumph.—It is afked, of what ufe are 15,000 men in this country, in which provifions are fcarce, and where are to be feized only fome turbulent men at their plough? Those who conducted the expedition know this; the matter is to create a great expenfe; when the fums fhall come to be affeffed, no one will be willing to pay; and, fhould each pay his affeffment, it will be done in curfing the infurgent principles of the patriots.

66 23. It is impoffible to make a more able manœuvre for the opening of Congrefs. The paffions, the generous indignation, which had agitated their minds in the last feffion, were about being renewed with ftill more vigour; there was nothing to announce of brilliant fucceffes which they had promifed. The hoftilities of Great Britain on the Continent,

3

tinent, fo long difguifed, and now become evident, a commerce always haraffed, ridiculous negotiations lingering at London, waiting until new conjunctures fhould authorize new infults: fuch was the picture they were likely to have to offer the Reprefentatives of the People. But this crifis, and the great movements made to prevent its confequences, change the ftate of things. With what advantage do they denounce an atrocious attack upon the Conftitution, and appreciate the activity used to repress it! The ariftocratical party will foon have understood the fecret; all the misfortunes will be attributed to the patriots; the party of the latter is about being deferted by all the weak men, and this complete feffion will have been gained.

66 24. Who knows what will be the limits of this triumph? Perhaps advantage will be taken by it to obtain fome laws for frengthening the Government, and still more precipitating the propenfity, already vifible, that it has towards ariftocracy.

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25. Such are, Citizen, the data which I poffefs concerning these events, and the confequences I draw from them; I wish I may be deceived in my calculations, and the good difpofition of the people; their attachment to principles leads me to expect it. I have, perhaps, herein fallen into the repetition of reflections and facts contained in other dispatches; but I wished to present together fome views which I have reason to ascribe to the ruling party, and some able manœuvres invented to fupport themfelves.Without participating in the paffions of the parties, I obferve them; and I owe to my country an exact and strict account of the fituation of things. I fhall make it my duty to keep you regularly informed of every change that may take place; above all, I fhall apply myself to penetrate the difpofition of the Legiflature; that will not a little affift in forming the final idea which we ought to have of thefe move

ments,

ments, and what we fhould really fear or hope from them.

"Health and fraternity.
(Signed)

66

J. FAUCHET.'

On commenting on this ever-memorable dispatch, the first thing I fhall do is, to recall the reader's attention to the facts contained in the 16th and 17th paragraphs, where it is clearly stated, that MIFFLIN, the Governor of Pennsylvania, DALLAS, the Secretary of that State (who was also the leader in the Popular Societies established by Genet), RANDOLPH, the Secretary of State for the United States Government, with others unknown to Fauchet, were bąlancing which fide they should take, that of the Federal Government, or that of the Western Infurgents. It is further flated, that RANDOLPH went to the French Ambaffador, to whom he made overtures, which would have enabled the French Republic, if her Ambaffador had fome thoutands of dollars at his difpofal, to have decided on civil war, or on peace.

While this plan of obtaining money from France was in agitation, MIFFLIN, DALLAS, and RANDOLPH, were using their utmost exertions to prevent rigorous measures on the part of the Federal Government. By recurring to the Report, which Secretary DALLAS made to the Legislature of Pennsylvania, in juftification of the tardy conduct of the Governor, in affembling the quota of the State, the reader will perceive, that numerous pretexts were invented for not calling out the militia, and that every poffible obftacle was, for a long time, thrown in the way of an obedience to the orders of the Prefident.

While MIFFLIN and DALLAS were thus engaged in keeping back the quota of Pennsylvania (which was to form one half of the army), RANDOLPH was

as bufily employed in embarraffing and intimidating the councils of the Federal Government. He was one of the four officers of ftate, whom the Prefident confulted; and the following letter, written just before the time when FAUCHET ftates the money overtures to have been made to him, will clearly fhow the connexion of his advice with thofe Overtures.

Edmund Randolph to the Prefident.

« SIR, Philadelphia, 5th August, 1794. "The late events in the neighbourhood of Pittfburg appeared, on the firft intelligence of them, to be extenfive in their relations. But fubfequent reflection, and the conference with the Governor of Pennfylvania, have multiplied them in my mind tenfold. Indeed, Sir, the moment is big with a crifis, which would convulfe the eldeft government; and if it should burft on ours, its extent and dominion can be but faintly conjectured.

"At our firft confultation, in your prefence, the indignation which we all felt, at the outrages committed, created a defire, that the information received fhould be laid before an affociate Justice, or the diftrict Judge: to be confidered under the act of May 2, 1792. This fiep was urged by the neceffity of understanding, without delay, all the means. vefted in the Prefident, for fuppreffing the progress of the mischief. A caution, however, was prefcribed to the Attorney General, who fubmitted the documents to the Judge, not to exprefs the most diftant wifh of the Prefident that the certificate fhould be granted.

The certificate has been granted; and although the teftimony is not, in my judgment, yet in fufficient legal form, to become the groundwork of fuch an act; and a Judge ought not à priori to decide

that the Marshal is incompetent to fupprefs the combinations by the poffe comitatus, yet the certificate, if it be minute enough, is conclufive, that, "in the

66

counties of Washington and Alleghany in Penn"fylvania, laws of the United States are opposed, "and the execution thereof obftructed by combina"tions too powerful to be fuppreffed by the ordi66 nary course of judicial proceedings, or by the powers vefted in the Marthal of that diftrict.”— But the certificate specifies no particular law which has been oppofed. This defect, I remarked to Judge Wilson, from whom the certificate came, and observed, that the design of the law being, that a Judge should point out to the Executive, where the Judiciary flood in need of military aid, it was fruftrated if military force fhould be applied to laws, which the Judge might not contemplate. He did not yield to my reasoning; and therefore I prefume that the objection will not be received against the validity of the certificate.

Upon the fuppofition of its being valid, a power arifes to the Prefident, to call forth the militia of Pennsylvania, and eventually the militia of other States, which may be convenient. be convenient. But as the law does not compel the Prefident to array the militia in confequence of the certificate, and renders it lawful only for him fo to do; the grand inquiry is, whether it be expedient to exercife this power at this time.

"On many occafions have I contended, that, whenfoever military coercion is to be reforted to in fupport of law, the militia are the true, proper, and only inftruments which ought to be employed. But a calm furvey of the fituation of the United States has prefented thefe dangers and thefe objections, and banishes every idea of calling them into immediate action.