this matter to affect our personal dispositions.’  But he did not long retain this just view of the subject.  I have always believed that the thousand calumnies which the federalists, in bitterness of heart, and mortification at their ejection, daily invented against me, were carried to him by their busy intriguers, and made some impression.  When the election between Burr and myself was kept in suspense by the federalists, and they were meditating to place the President of the Senate at the head of the government, I called on Mr. Adams with a view to have this desperate measure prevented by his negative.  He grew warm in an instant, and said with a vehemence he had not used towards me before, ’Sir, the event of the election is within your own power.  You have only to say you will do justice to the public creditors, maintain the navy, and not disturb those holding offices, and the government will instantly be put into your hands.  We know it is the wish of the people it should be so.’’Mr. Adams,’ said I, ’I know not what part of my conduct, in either public or private life, can have authorized a doubt of my fidelity to the public engagements.  I say, however, I will not come into the government by capitulation.  I will not enter on it, but in perfect freedom to follow the dictates of my own judgment.’  I had before given the same answer to the same intimation from Gouverneur Morris.  ‘Then,’ said he, ’things must take their course.’  I turned the conversation to something else, and soon took my leave.  It was the first time in our lives we had ever parted with any thing like dissatisfaction.  And then followed those scenes of midnight appointment, which have been condemned by all men.  The last day of his political power, the last hours, and even beyond the midnight, were employed in filling all offices and especially permanent ones, with the bitterest federalists, and providing for me the alternative, either to execute the government by my enemies, whose study it would be to thwart and defeat all my measures, or to incur the odium of such numerous removals from office, as might bear me down.  A little time and reflection effaced in my mind this temporary dissatisfaction with Mr. Adams, and restored me to that just estimate of his virtues and passions, which a long acquaintance had enabled me to fix.  And my first wish became that of making his retirement easy by any means in my power; for it was understood he was not rich.  I suggested to some republican members of the delegation from his State, the giving him, either directly or indirectly, an office, the most lucrative in that State, and then offered to be resigned, if they thought he would not deem it affrontive.  They were of opinion he would take great offence at the offer; and, moreover, that the body of republicans would consider such a step in the outset, as auguring very ill of the course I meant to pursue.  I dropped the idea, therefore, but did not cease to wish for some opportunity of renewing our friendly understanding.