I know well, and so must be understood, that nothing like a majority in Congress had yielded to this corruption.  Far from it.  But a division, not very unequal, had already taken place in the honest part of that body, between the parties styled republican and federal.  The latter being monarchists in principle, adhered to Hamilton of course, as their leader in that principle, and this mercenary phalanx added to them, insured him always a majority in both Houses:  so that the whole action of the legislature was now under the direction of the Treasury.  Still the machine was not complete.  The effect of the funding system, and of the Assumption, would be temporary; it would be lost with the loss of the individual members whom it had enriched, and some engine of influence more permanent must be contrived, while these myrmidons were yet in place to carry it through all opposition.  This engine was the Bank of the United States.  All that history is known, so I shall say nothing about it.  While the government remained at Philadelphia, a selection of members of both Houses were constantly kept as directors, who, on every question interesting to that institution, or to the views of the federal head, voted at the will of that head; and, together with the stock-holding members, could always make the federal vote that of the majority.  By this combination, legislative expositions were given to the constitution, and all the administrative laws were shaped on the model of England and so passed.  And from this influence we were not relieved, until the removal from the precincts of the bank, to Washington.  Here then was the real ground of the opposition which was made to the course of administration.  Its object was to preserve the legislature pure and independent of the executive, to restrain, the administration to republican forms and principles, and not permit the constitution to be construed into a monarchy, and to be warped, in practice, into all the principles and pollutions of their favorite English model.  Nor was this an opposition to General Washington.  He was true to the republican charge confided to him; and has solemnly and repeatedly protested to me, in our conversations, that he would lose the last drop of his blood in support of it; and he did this the oftener and with the more earnestness, because he knew my suspicions of Hamilton’s designs against it, and wished to quiet them.  For he was not aware of the drift, or of the effect of Hamilton’s schemes.  Unversed in financial projects and calculations and budgets, his approbation of them was bottomed on his confidence in the man.