explanation. The answers written by that gentleman were published some time since in the collection of his works made under the authority and supervision of his grandson, Mr. Thomas Jefferson Randolph, though unaccompanied by any comment which could show what it was that they replied to or how Mrs. Adams got into the rather singular position which she occupies of a disputant with him upon the leading political questions of the time. In order to understand this, it is necessary to go back and trace the early relations between the parties and the reasons why those relations were afterwards changed. Mr. Jefferson went to Europe at nearly the same time with Mrs. Adams. Their residence there was of similar duration, though not always in the same place. Throughout the period of that residence an active interchange of good offices was carried on between them. The official connexion that existed between Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Adams, while the latter remained in France, was improved into a pleasant social intimacy. And out of the small circle of Americans, whom Mrs. Adams met with in that country, Mr. Jefferson could hardly have failed to prove, as he did, by far the most agreeable individual to her. It will hence be seen, that upon her departure from Paris, the principal regret

which she expresses to her friend in America is at the necessity of leaving that gentleman-for "he," she adds, "is one of the choice ones of the earth." Again, she manifests the confidence which she entertains, both in his patriotism and his personal friendship, in a letter written to another friend' after her arrival in London. Her kindly feelings were still further developed by the arrival of his little daughter from Virginia, and by the care she was requested by him to take of her during the brief interval that elapsed before he could send for her to join him. Indeed, so far did they go, that when the moment of departure took place, the affectionate regret which the child manifested at the separation, appears to have left an indelible impression upon her mind.3

From the incidental notices thus gathered out of Mrs. Adams's private correspondence with her friends at home, it cannot be doubted, that up to the period of return to America of the parties now in question, the most amicable relations had existed without interruption between them. Even after that time, and when under the administration of President Washington, it be

Letter to Mrs. Shaw, 8 May, 1785.

2 Letter to Mrs. Cranch, 1 October, 1785.

3 Letter to Mrs. Cranch, 16 July, 1787, and that to Mr. Jefferson, 20 May, 1804.

came certain that a difference in political sentiments must inevitably have the effect to throw two persons, so distinguished as Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Adams were, into collision, the social intimacy between them, though slightly relaxed, was not materially disturbed. The address of the former gentleman to the Senate, upon taking his place as Vice-President, shows the desire he then entertained to continue it. But events were destined to be stronger than men. Thef vehement contest for the Presidency in 1801 scattered to the winds all traces of former friendship. It was at that time that each party in turn strove to discover in certain overt acts of the other, a justification for estrangement, which would as certainly have occurred, whether those acts had or had not been committed with a design to give it a form of expression. It is not in the nature of men to be able entirely to resist the force of those passions which rivalry in a common object of ardent desire will stir up in their bosoms. The earnestness with which Mr. Jefferson endeavors to deny their operation upon him, whilst every page of his letters shows as clearly as light how much sway they had over him, constitutes the most serious impeachment that can be brought against his sincerity. There is an appearance of duplicity in this part of his conduct which it is difficult altogether to

explain away. The writer does not however attach great weight to the charge in this instance. For the fact can scarcely be doubted, that both Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson tried, as hard as men could do, to resist the natural effect upon them of their antagonist positions. They strove, each in turn, to stem the proscriptive fury of the parties to which they belonged, and that with equally bad success. But as the mode in which they attempted it is singularly illustrative of the opposite character of the two men, perhaps it may not be without its use to the present generation, to venture upon a feeble description of it.

It is a well attested fact, that Mr. Adams hardly attained to the Presidency before he began to devise a mode by which he could bring into office those leading individuals of the party politically opposed to him whom he personally esteemed. His offers to Mr. Jefferson, to Mr. Madison and to Mr. Gerry, the last of whom only accepted them, are perfectly well known. These offers were not however made without prodigious resistance on the part of numbers of his own political friends, and probably contributed much to weaken the attachment of many, and to promote the disaffection of more of them. The consequence was his fall from power as the penalty of a disregard to

prudent counsels. On the other hand, Mr. Jefferson, when elected to the same office, though professing much good will towards, and personal esteem of his opponent, Mr. Adams, yet candidly admits' that he suffered the dictates of his heart to be overruled by the decided negative interposed to action upon them on the part of his partisan advisers. It is not probable, that, even had he carried into effect his proposed design to offer to Mr. Adams an office of trust and profit in Massachusetts, this gentleman would have accepted it; but the offer alone I would have been invaluable to him at the moment of defeat, as a testimonial openly given by his successful rival both to his public and private integrity. And it would have forever after estopped the friends of the victorious candidate from taking any ungenerous advantage of their victory over him.

But the prudence of Mr. Jefferson gained the mastery over his liberality of feeling. It went even further for not content with doing nothing at all for his rival, he actually inflicted upon him a blow. He removed, without cause assigned, his son, John Quincy Adams, from a very subordinate office, the instant that it hap

1 See the "Memoir, Correspondence and Miscellanies, from the papers of Thomas Jefferson edited by Thomas Jefferson Randolph." Vol. IV. p. 158.