Third question.  We agreed in idea as to the line to be drawn; to wit, so as to retain all lands appropriated, or granted, or reserved.

Fourth question.  We all thought, if the Senate should be consulted, and consequently apprized of our line, it would become known to Hammond, and we should lose all chance of saving any thing more at the treaty than our ultimatum.

The President, at this meeting, mentioned the declaration of some person, in a paper of Fenno, that he would commence an attack on the character of Dr. Franklin.  He said, the theme was to him excessively disagreeable on other considerations, but most particularly so, as the party seemed to do it as a means of defending him (the President) against the late attacks on him:  that such a mode of defence would be peculiarly painful to him, and he wished it could be stopped.  Hamilton and Randolph undertook to speak to Fenno to suppress it, without mentioning it as the President’s wish.  Both observed, that they had heard this declaration mentioned in many companies, and that it had excited universal horror and detestation.

The paper in Fenno must lie between two persons, viz.  Adams and Izard, because they are the only persons who could know such facts as are there promised to be unfolded.  Adams is an enemy to both characters, and might choose this ground as an effectual position to injure both.  Izard hated Franklin with unparalleled bitterness, but humbly adores the President, because he is in loco regis.  If the paper proceeds, we shall easily discover which of these two gentlemen is the champion.  In the mean time, the first paper leads our suspicions more towards Izard than Adams, from the circumstance of style, and because he is quite booby enough not to see the injury he would do to the President by such a mode of defence.

February the 28th.  Knox, E. Randolph, and myself met at Knox’s, where Hamilton was also to have met, to consider the time, manner, and place of the President’s swearing in.  Hamilton had been there before, and had left his opinion with Knox; to wit, that the President should ask a judge to attend him in his own house to administer the oath, in the presence of the Heads of departments; which oath should be deposited in the Secretary of State’s office.  I concurred in this opinion.  Randolph was for the President’s going to the Senate chamber to take the oath, attended by the marshal of the United States, who should then make proclamation, &c.  Knox was for this, and for adding the House of Representatives to the presence, as they would not yet be departed.  Our individual opinions were written, to be communicated to the President, out of which he might form one.  In the course of our conversation, Knox, stickling for parade, got into great warmth, and swore that our government must either be entirely new modeled, or it would be knocked to pieces in less than ten years; and that, as it is at present, he would not give a copper for it; that it is the President’s character, and not the written constitution which keeps it together.