Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CCLXXII.—­TO JAMES MADISON, February 18,1801

TO JAMES MADISON.

Washington, February 18,1801.

Dear Sir,

Notwithstanding the suspected infidelity of the post, I must hazard this communication.  The minority of the House of Representatives, after seeing the impossibility of electing Burr, the certainty that a legislative usurpation would be resisted by arms, and a recourse to a convention to re-organize and amend the government, held a consultation on this dilemma, whether it would be better for them to come over in a body and go with the tide of the times, or by a negative conduct suffer the election to be made by a bare majority, keeping their body entire and unbroken, to act in phalanx on such ground of opposition as circumstances shall offer:  and I know their determination on this question only by their vote of yesterday.  Morris of Vermont withdrew, which made Lyon’s vote that of his State.  The Maryland federalists put in four blanks, which made the positive ticket of their colleagues the vote of the State.  South Carolina and Delaware put in six blanks.  So there were ten states for one candidate, four for another, and two blanks.  We consider this, therefore, as a declaration of war, on the part of this band.  But their conduct appears to have brought over to us the whole body of federalists, who, being alarmed with the danger of a dissolution of the government, had been made most anxiously to wish the very administration they had opposed, and to view it when obtained, as a child of their own.

*****

Mr. A. embarrasses us.  He keeps the offices of State and War vacant, but has named Bayard Minister Plenipotentiary to France, and has called an unorganized Senate to meet the fourth of March.  As you do not like to be here on that day, I wish you would come within a day or two after.  I think that between that and the middle of the month we can so far put things under way, as that we may go home to make arrangements for our final removal.  Come to Conrad’s, where I will bespeak lodgings for you.  Yesterday Mr. A. nominated Baynard to be Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States to the French republic; to-day, Theophilus Parsons, Attorney General of the United States in the room of C. Lee, who, with Keith Taylor cum multis aliis, are appointed judges under the new system.  H. G. Otis is nominated a District Attorney.  A vessel has been waiting for some time in readiness to carry the new Minister to France.  My affectionate salutations to Mrs. Madison.

Th:  Jefferson.

LETTER CCLXXIII.—­TO JOHN DICKINSON, March 6, 1801

TO JOHN DICKINSON.

Washington, March 6, 1801.

Dear Sir,