Gallatin. It
is also surmised that the vote of Georgia will not be entire. Yet nobody
pretends to know these things of a certainty, and we know enough to be
certain that what it is surmised will be withheld, will still leave
you four or five votes at least above Mr. Adams. However, it was badly
managed not to have arranged with certainty what seems to have been left
to hazard. It was the more material, because I understand several of the
highflying federalists have expressed their hope that the two republican
tickets may be equal, and their determination in that case to prevent a
choice by the House of Representatives (which they are strong enough to
do) and let the government devolve on a President of the Senate. Decency
required that I should be so entirely passive during the late contest,
that I never once asked whether arrangements had been made to prevent
so many from dropping votes intentionally, as might frustrate half the
republican wish; nor did I doubt, till lately, that such had been made.
While I must congratulate you, my dear Sir, on the issue of this
contest, because it is more honorable, and doubtless more grateful to
you than any station within the competence of the chief magistrate, yet
for myself, and for the substantial service of the public, I feel most
sensibly the loss we sustain of your aid in our new administration.
Pages:
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776