Hammond gives me in his assignment of breaches, and if that gives a glimmering of hope that they mean to surrender the posts, I will not give in my report till the next session.’  Now, Hammond had received my assignment of breaches on the 15th of December, and about the 22nd or 23rd had made me an apology for not having been able to send me his counter-assignment of breaches; but in terms which showed I might expect it in a few days.  From the moment it escaped my lips in the presence of Hamilton, that I would not give in my report till I should see Hammond’s counter-complaint, and judge if there was a hope of the posts, Hammond never said a word to me on any occasion, as to the time he should be ready.  At length the President got out of patience, and insisted I should jog him.  This I did on the 21st of February, at the President’s assembly:  he immediately promised I should have it in a few days, and accordingly, on the 5th of March I received it.

Written March the 11th, 1792.

March the 12th, 1792.  Sent for by the President, and desired to bring the letter he had signed to the King of France.  Went.  He said the House of Representatives had, on Saturday, taken up the communication he had made of the King’s letter to him, and come to a vote in their own name; that he did not expect this when he sent this message and the letter, otherwise he would have sent the message without the letter, as I had proposed.  That he apprehended the legislature would be endeavoring to invade the executive.  I told him, I had understood the House had resolved to request him to join their congratulations to his on the completion and acceptance of the constitution; on which part of the vote, there were only two dissentients (Barnwell and Benson); that the vote was thirty-five to sixteen on the part which expressed an approbation of the wisdom of the constitution; that in the letter he had signed, I had avoided saying a word in approbation of the constitution, not knowing whether the King, in his heart, approved it.  ‘Why, indeed,’ says he,’ I begin to doubt very much of the affairs of France; there are papers from London as late as the 10th of January, which represent them as going into confusion.  He read over the letter he had signed, found there was not a word which could commit his judgment about the constitution, and gave it to me back again.  This is one of many proofs I have had, of his want of confidence in the event of the French revolution.  The fact is, that Gouverneur Morris, a highflying monarchy man, shutting his eyes and his faith to every fact against his wishes, and believing every thing he desires to be true, has kept the President’s mind constantly poisoned with his forebodings.  That the President wishes the revolution may be established, I believe from several indications.  I remember, when I received the news of the King’s flight and capture, I first told him of it at his assembly.  I never saw him so much dejected by any event in my life.  He expressed clearly, on this occasion, his disapprobation of the legislature referring things to the Heads of departments.