As far as it is intelligible he is for repealing all Embargoes, Non-Intercourses, and Non-Importations, and surrendering all pretensions to rights. I suspect he is one of the little merchants he mentions, not one of the big, by any means, and, that his little paquotilles are somewhat deranged and in danger. The sum of what he says in one place, is, that the vulgar among the Federalists adored John Adams and the

vulgar among the Republicans adore Tom Jefferson. "When John Adams said that the finger of heaven pointed to war, you and I laughed at him." This may be true: but it was the grinning of idiots at each other—the laughter of fools, the crackling of thorns under a pot. He is so great a worshipper and idolator of Tom Paine, that he and his correspondent might believe that there is no Heaven, or that Heaven has no finger. If he believed in a God and a Providence, and had eyes in his head or brains in his skull, he might have seen and would have seriously considered that the course of events had rendered a war, or indelible disgrace and national degradation, unavoidable. He must have seen that Providence did indicate war, and

ordain war; for, a war we had in fact, a war declared in form by the House of Representatives, the Senate and President of the United States. It was not a universal war: it was defined and limited to certain cases: but a declaration of a Sovereign that a solemn and vastly important treaty between him and another sovereign is null and void, by the infractions, violence, injustice and breach of faith by that other, is tantamount to a declaration of war. But Congress went farther; they raised forces by land and sea, and authorized hostilities, and a war was actually waged. A glorious and triumphant war it was. Instead of hearing of vessels taken in our rivers and burnt in our harbours, as we had done for a long time, not an hostile sail dared to spread itself on any part of our vast sea-coast. Instead of our merchant ships being taken by scores, and our property captivated by millions in the West-Indies, Talbot, Truxton, Decatur and Little cleared the whole seas, and not a privateer or picaroon or even frigate dared shew its head. The Proud Pavillion of France was, in many glaring instances, humiliated under the eagles and stripes of the United States. But

the greatest triumph of all, was, that the haughty Directory, who had demanded tribute, refused to receive our Ambassadors, and formally and publicly, by an act of Government, declared that they would not receive any more Ministers from the United States, till I had made excuses and apologies for some of my speeches, were obliged to humble themselves, retract all their declarations and transmit to me the most positive assurances in several various ways both official and inofficial that they would receive my Ministers, and make peace on my own

terms.

Let the jackasses, Lyon and his correspondent, and his intimate friends, Duane, Callender and Tom Paine, bray or laugh at all this, as they did at the finger of God. If ever an Historian should arise fit for the investigation, this transaction must be transmitted to posterity as the most glorious period in American History, and as the most disinterested, prudent, and successful conduct in my whole life. For I was obliged to give peace and unexampled prosperity to my country for eight years, and, if it is not for a longer duration, it is not

my fault, against the advice, intreaties, and intrigues of all my Ministers, and all the leading Federalists in both houses of Congress.

The two factions have conspired hitherto to smother all my glory: yet, they cannot avoid letting out, now and then, a glimpse, and this letter of Lyon's is one instance of it.

Our parties at present resemble two ladies of easy virtue, in whose quarrels and scoldings, one reproaches the other with her weakness with a lover the last night, and the other retorts, you are worse than I, for, you committed adultery the night before and put horns upon your husband. Unfortunately there is too much truth in both. Neither party, however, in the violence of their rage can avoid throwing out something now and then in honour of JOHN ADAMS.

Mr. Cunningham.

P.S. The Caitiff says I repented. This is false. I had nothing to repent of. I departed from no principle, system, or profession. The French Government repented and reformed. Their humiliation and my triumph were complete. Both struck the British Ambassador so

forcibly that he said to me "To what degrees of abasement will not the French submit to you? I was in hopes they would have persevered and gone to war with you."

My system was from the beginning, to make peace with them the moment I could do it consistently with the honour and interest of the nation. But this disappointed the Anglomanic Federalists as well as Mr. Liston, and they have. hated me for it ever since. J. A.

Dear Sir,

LETTER XXXI.

FITCHBURG, March 11, 1809.

On the first of the month, I received your favour of the 22d ult. with a copy of a speech of a ci-devant Minister to the six Nations. Having been ill with the prevailing influenza, and expecting, mail after mail, to receive your answer to my letters of the 20th and 23d of February, I have delayed this acknowledgement. I hope that this evening will relieve my impatience to see the speculations you have written in opposition to the opinions