commission for the expedition, which Genet had planned from that quarter against the Spaniards; that ----------, the late Spanish commandant of St. Genevieve, with one Powers, an Englishman, called on him.  That from all these circumstances, together with Ross’s stories, he did believe that there was a conspiracy to deliver our country, or some part of it at least, to the French; that he made notes of what passed between himself and Collot and the others, and lent them to Mr. Ross, who gave them to the President, by whom they were deposited in the office of the Board of War; that when he complained to Ross of this breach of confidence, he endeavored to get off by compliments on the utility and importance of his notes.  They now cooled towards each other; and his opposition to Ross’s election as Governor has separated them in truth, though not entirely to appearance.

Doctor Rush tells me, that within a few days he has heard a member of Congress lament our separation from Great Britain, and express his sincere wishes that we were again dependent on her.

December the 25th, 1800.  Colonel Hitchburn tells me what Colonel Monroe had before told me of, as coming from Hitchburn.  He was giving me the characters of persons in Massachusetts.  Speaking of Lowell, he said he was, in the beginning of the Revolution, a timid whig, but as soon as he found we were likely to prevail, he became a great office-hunter.  And in the very breath of speaking of Lowell, he stopped:  says he, I will give you a piece of information which I do not venture to speak of to others.  There was a Mr. Hale in Massachusetts, a reputable, worthy man, who becoming a little embarrassed in his affairs, I aided him, which made him very friendly to me.  He went to Canada on some business.  The Governor there took great notice of him.  On his return, he took occasion to mention to me that he was authorized by the Governor of Canada to give from three to five thousand guineas each to himself and some others, to induce them not to do any thing to the injury of their country, but to befriend a good connection between England and it.  Hitchburn said he would think of it, and asked Hale to come and dine with him to-morrow.  After dinner he drew Hale fully out.  He told him he had his doubts, but particularly, that he should not like to be alone in such a business.  On that, Hale named to him four others who were to be engaged, two of whom, said Hitchburn, are now dead, and two living.  Hitchburn, when he had got all he wanted out of Hale, declined in a friendly way.  But he observed those, four men, from that moment, to espouse the interests of England in every point and on every occasion.  Though he did not name the men to me, yet as the speaking of Lowell was what brought into his Read to tell me this anecdote, I concluded he was one.  From other circumstances respecting Stephen Higginson, of whom he spoke, I conjectured him to be the other living one.