No more like the same
people; their notions, their habits and manners, the course of their
commerce, so totally changed, that I, who stood in those of 1784, found
myself not at all qualified to speak their sentiments, or forward their
views in 1790. Very soon, therefore, after entering on the office of
Secretary of State, I recommended to General Washington to establish
as a rule of practice, that no person should be continued on foreign
mission beyond an absence of six, seven, or eight years. He approved it.
On the only subsequent Missions which took place in my time, the persons
appointed were notified that they could not be continued beyond that
period. All returned within it except Humphreys. His term was not
quite out when General Washington went out of office. The succeeding
administration had no rule for any thing: so he continued. Immediately
on my coming to the administration, I wrote to him myself, reminded him
of the rule I had communicated to him on his departure; that he had then
been absent about eleven years, and consequently must return. On
this ground solely he was superseded. Under these circumstances, your
appointment was impossible after an absence of seventeen years. Under
any others, I should never fail to give to yourself and the world proofs
of my friendship for you, and of my confidence in you.
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