Mr. Hunter of South Carolina, who lodges with Rutledge, [* J. Rutledge, junior] tells me, that Rutledge was explaining to him the plan they proposed to pursue as to war measures, when Otis came in.  Rutledge addressed Otis.  ‘Now, Sir,’ says he, ’you must come forward with something liberal for the southern States, fortify their harbors and build galleys, in order to obtain their concurrence.’  Otis said, ’We insist on convoys for our European trade, and guarda-costas, on which condition alone, we will give them galleys and fortifications.’  Rutledge observed, that in the event of war, McHenry and Pickering must go out; Wolcott, he thought, might remain, but the others were incapable of conducting a war.  Otis said the eastern people would never abandon Pickering; he must be retained; McHenry might go.  They considered together whether General Pinckney would accept the office of Secretary of War.  They apprehended he would not.  It was agreed in this conversation, that Sewall had more the ear of the President than any other person.

March the 12th.  When the bill for appropriations was before the Senate, Anderson moved to strike out a clause recognising (by way of appropriation) the appointment of a committee by the House of Representatives, to sit during their recess to collect evidence on Blount’s case, denying they had power, but by a law, to authorize a committee to sit during recess.  Tracy advocated the motion, and said, ’We may as well speak out.  The committee was appointed by the House of Representatives, to take care of the British minister, to take care of the Spanish minister, to take care of the Secretary of State, in short, to take care of the President of the United States.  They were afraid the President and Secretary of State would not perform the office of collecting evidence faithfully; that there would be collusion, &c.  Therefore, the House appointed a committee of their own.  We shall have them next sending a committee to Europe to make a treaty, &c.  Suppose that the House of Representatives should resolve, that after the adjournment of Congress, they should continue to sit as a committee of the whole House during the whole recess.’  This shows how the appointment of that committee has been viewed by the President’s friends.

April the 5th.  Doctor Rush tells me he had it from Mrs. Adams, that not a scrip of a pen has passed between the late and present President, since he came into office.

April the 13th.  New instructions of the British government to their armed ships now appear, which clearly infringe their treaty with us, by authorizing them to take our vessels carrying produce of the French colonies from those colonies to Europe, and to lake vessels bound to a blockaded port.  See them in Brown’s paper, of April the 18th, in due form.

The President has sent a government brig to France, probably to carry despatches.  He has chosen as the bearer of these, one Humphreys, the son of a ship-carpenter, ignorant, under age, not speaking a word of French, most abusive of that nation; whose only merit is, the having mobbed and beaten Bache on board the frigate built here, for which he was indicted and punished by fine.